A man died early Saturday morning after he shot himself at the conclusion of a Friday evening pursuit in Hot Spring County, according to a news release from Arkansas State Police.

Christopher Buckley, 43, fled from Rockport police around 6:20 p.m. Friday after they stopped him near the intersection of Babcock and Nix roads in south Rockport for a traffic violation, the release states.

Buckley had outstanding warrants in Malvern and Hot Spring County.

Authorities attempted to stop Buckley using tactical vehicle interventions — a term state police use to refer to a high-speed ramming maneuver — but they weren’t successful, the release states. The chase reportedly ended when Buckley wrecked near the intersection of Watts and McAlister streets, an area of mostly forest about 1 1/2 miles southeast of where Buckley was first stopped.

Buckley then fled on foot, but shot himself with a handgun after Malvern police confronted him less than a half-mile to the north near Sand and Mt. Willow roads, the release states. He died at a Little Rock hospital around 2:30 a.m. on Saturday.

State police are investigating the incident at the request of Rockport police, the release says.

Grant Lancaster

Grant Lancaster covers crime, policing and breaking news for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. A Little Rock native, his articles focus primarily on crime and law enforcement efforts in Pulaski County, although he reports on other parts of the state as well.