Virginia State Police are investigating after a Sunday morning chase ended with a teenage driver shooting himself.

According to police, around 1:31 a.m. on Sunday, a Town of Culpeper Police Officer saw a Toyota Camry speeding through a work zone on Route 29 Business.

The officer turned on his lights and tried to pull the car over, but the driver refused to stop and sped away. Police say the officer initiated a pursuit.

Just moments later, within three quarters of a mile, the driver of the Camry lost control and ran into a parked van in front of a home on Belle Avenue, causing the Camry to spin out of control and come to a stop in the intersection of Belle Ave. and Belle Grove Court.

A 16-year-old boy, who police identified as a passenger in the vehicle, got out of the car and ran away immediately after the crash, but a canine team tracked him down a short time later.

As the officer who started the pursuit approached the vehicle, he heard a single gunshot from inside the car. Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller says investigators determined that the 16-year-old driver, from Culpeper County, shot himself.

He was immediately taken to UVA Medical Center to be treated for life-threatening injuries.

Two other passengers, including a 19-year-old man and another 16-year-old Culpeper County boy, were arrested at the scene. The 16-year-old was taken to the hospital for treatment of injuries from the crash.

According to police, the officer never fired his weapon and was uninjured. The teen driver's handgun was recovered from inside the vehicle and police found a second one outside it.

Investigation continues and charges are pending.