HAYDEN, Ala.– Authorities in Blount County are investigating a deadly shooting that unfolded Thursday in the Hayden area.

The Blount County Sheriff’s Office says deputies were called to Mountain Lake Road after reports of a woman who had been fatally shot. When deputies arrived, they secured the scene and began searching for a suspect.

During the response, officials say the suspect encountered a deputy and opened fire. The deputy returned fire. It remains unclear whether the suspect was struck. The deputy was not injured, and the suspect fled the area.

A multi-agency search followed, involving local, state, and federal law enforcement.

Investigators later located the suspect and a vehicle in a wooded area about a mile from the original scene. The suspect was found dead from what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Authorities say there are multiple scenes connected to the case, all in the area of Mountain Lake Road and Highway 160.

The investigation remains active, and more information is expected to be released.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Blount County Sheriff’s Office.

The officer-involved portion of the case has been turned over to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s State Bureau of Investigation, as is standard procedure.

(Photos courtesy of ABC 33/40 Birmingham)