PATERSON - Hours after walking out of jail, a city man got his hands on a gun and fired off three rounds: one at his estranged wife's home, another minutes later at a pursuing officer, and a final shot that ended his life, authorities said Tuesday.

Investigators were still trying to sort out the details of what led Carlos Perez to his wife's Van Houten Street home late Monday night, and why the 35-year-old shot himself in the head as an officer tried to pull him over several blocks away, Detective Lt. Donald Giaquinto said.