(CNN) The Gilroy Garlic Festival shooter, Santino William Legan, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, Gilroy Police Chief Scot Smithee said Friday during a press conference.

Legan's death was ruled a suicide, Smithee said, citing Nicole Lopez of the Santa Clara County Coroner's Office.

When the shooting began, Legan exchanged fire with three Gilroy police officers, Smithee said.

"I do know that the suspect was hit multiple times by the rounds the officers fired, which put him down," he said. "It appears now, with that ruling on the cause and manner of death, that once he was down, he was able to get a round off and he shot himself. It sounds like that round was to the head."

The suicide finding contradicts earlier comments from Smithee, made in the hours after Sunday's shooting, that Legan was shot and killed by officers who engaged him at the festival.

Read More