A Hernando man wanted for shooting his ex-girlfriend during an argument died early Friday from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, deputies said.

Jeffery Michael Lloyd, 25, was found dead of a gunshot wound in his SUV in the parking lot of the 7-Eleven located at Berkeley Manor Boulevard and Commercial Way in Spring Hill.

Deputies began looking for Lloyd at 10 p.m. Thursday after a woman came to Citrus Memorial Hospital to receive treatment for a gunshot wound, according to the Citrus County Sheriff's Office.

Witnesses said the woman, identified as 19-year-old Christina Kovacs, of Dunnellon, was involved in an altercation with Lloyd at a home on Croft Avenue in Inverness. During that altercation, Lloyd allegedly told Kovacs to leave the house, then pulled a gun on her.

Citrus County deputies said Kovacs, who was with a friend at the time, left the home, but then came back with some more friends. That's when Lloyd allegedly fired shots through a window of the home, hitting Kovacs.

Kovacs was taken to Citrus Memorial Hospital, then later transported to Ocala Regional Medical Center, where she will undergo surgery. Her condition is not known at this time.

Citrus deputies arrived at the scene and found that Lloyd had left. They got a description of his vehicle and determined he was headed to Hernando County, so the deputies alerted the Hernando County Sheriff's Office at 2:35 a.m.

At 2:41 a.m., a Hernando County deputy found a white SUV that matched the description of Lloyd's vehicle in the 7-Eleven parking lot.

As deputies approached the white SUV, they heard a gunshot fired from within the vehicle, deputies said. In response, Deputy Wayne Peterson returned fire, officials said.

Lloyd was taken to a local hospital, where he later died. Officials said initial reports indicate he was not hit by the deputy's gunshots.

Hernando Sheriff Al Nienhuis has called in FDLE to conduct the usual officer involved shooting investigation.

Deputy Peterson, who has been with the agency since November 2004, has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation into the shooting.