( CNN ) -- A man police wanted to question in the abduction of a 4-year-old Missouri girl shot himself as investigators approached him , authorities in St. Louis reported Wednesday . The girl , Alisa Maier , was found alive Tuesday night in the St. Louis suburb of Fenton , about 70 miles south of her Mississippi River hometown of Louisiana , Missouri . Her parents identified her from a photograph sent by police there , her grandfather , Roy Harrison , said Wednesday night . `` You could n't miss the big brown eyes , '' Harrison told HLN 's `` Nancy Grace . '' But the search went on for the man who abducted her , who was seen driving a dark-colored , four-door sedan with missing wheel covers and a loud muffler . A tip led police to the town of Hawk Point , about 45 miles south of Louisiana , where police found a car parked outside a home that roughly matched that description , Missouri Highway Patrol Sgt . Al Nothum said . Before police could speak to the man , `` He pulled out a gun and shot himself . '' Nothum said . `` We are not saying this is our suspect , '' he added . `` We are saying he is a person of interest . '' Investigators are still treating the case as open , and will continue to take tips until the facts are nailed down , he said . There were preliminary reports after the shooting that the man had died , but Nothum said Wednesday night that the man was in critical condition . Nothum would not provide any more information about the man or his condition . Alisa was snatched from the front yard of her home Monday evening as she played with her 6-year-old brother . Harrison said his granddaughter is `` a bright young girl '' who has talked `` a little bit '' with her parents about her abduction . `` As to what she 's relaying to them , we do n't know , '' he said . `` They 're staying down there close to the headquarters they 've got down there in St. Louis now , so they 're able to get people to her , to talk to her . '' Anita McKlevis , a neighbor , told HLN 's `` Prime News '' that the town of about 4,000 was overjoyed by the girl 's safe return . `` It was like someone gave us all $ 1 million , '' McKlevis said . `` Everybody is so happy for this little girl and the family . We are going to stick by the family . That 's important . '' McKlevis said she sent cupcakes to the family 's home , `` because I know she loves them . '' And Harrison said the family was `` ecstatic '' over Alisa 's safe return . `` I 've told people earlier , if I could do a backflip , I would , '' he said . `` When we get her back and get the family together , we 're gon na have a barbecue and togetherness , and hugs and kisses . I could n't be any happier . '' Alisa was discovered near a gas station car wash after witnesses saw her walking away from the sedan . CNN 's Scott Thompson contributed to this report .
Man is wanted for questioning in abduction of 4-year-old . Police say man was last seen leaving home with child on foot. A tip led police to town north of St. Louis . Family `` ecstatic '' over girl 's safe return .