RICHVALE — A man suspected of shooting at his ex-wife in Red Bluff and fleeing south through Butte County was killed after a chase and possible shootout with Butte County Sheriff’s deputies Monday afternoon.

Richard Moulton, 52, of Red Bluff, died after raising a handgun toward Butte County Sheriff’s Office deputies, according a news release from the Sheriff’s Office.

No deputies were injured in the shooting that took place around 12:43 p.m., said Miranda Bowersox, public information officer for the Sheriff’s Office.

After a domestic violence incident in which a Moulton allegedly bit, slapped, choked, attempted to gouge eyes, shoved a handgun into his ex-wife’s mouth and shot multiple times at her on the 400 block of Madison Avenue in Red Bluff, police there put out a message to other law enforcement agencies to “be on the lookout” for a red or maroon Ford F-150 pickup. The woman was not shot, but was treated for injuries, according to a news release from the Red Bluff Police Department.

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A Butte County deputy spotted the pickup around 12:21 p.m. in the Durham area, Bowersox said, and tried to pull the driver over, but the driver tried to escape.

“The pursuit went through Durham, the Midway, and terminated at Highway 162 and Aguas Frias,” Bowersox said.

“The suspect then opened the (pickup’s) door, turning sideways in the seat while looking in the direction of the deputies,” according to the news release. “The suspect brought out a handgun, then put the handgun to his head. The suspect then lowered the handgun and exited the vehicle, at which time the suspect raised the gun in the direction of the deputies, and shots were fired in response to that threat.”

Moulton was declared dead at the scene near the intersection of Highway 162 and Aguas Frias Road.

Nine deputies were involved in the shooting and all nine have been removed from the field and placed in administrative duties which is standard protocol in law enforcement investigations involving shootings.

The Butte County Officer Involved Shooting Investigation Team is investigating what happened.

Investigators think there were at least two civilian witnesses in the area and are asking anyone who may have seen the shooting to call the Sheriff’s Office at 538-7322.