London , England ( CNN ) -- Fugitive Raoul Moat , wanted for the shootings of three people in northern England last weekend , died early Saturday after shooting himself , police said . Moat , 37 , shot himself around 1:15 a.m. ( 8:15 p.m . ET Friday ) , Northumbria Police said . No gunshots were fired by police , and Moat was pronounced dead around 2:20 a.m. , they said . A spokeswoman at Newcastle General Hospital confirmed Moat died shortly after arriving there . His death brought to an end a week-long manhunt that had the small northern English town of Rothbury on lockdown and dominated national news headlines . Moat , released from prison last Thursday after serving time for assault , allegedly shot and wounded his former girlfriend and killed her new partner last Saturday . He allegedly shot and wounded a police officer the next day . Convinced Moat was hiding in the area , police launched a manhunt focused around Rothbury and found several sites where they believed he had been sleeping . British news outlets reported police found letters at those sites in which he made rambling threats to police . The large-scale search involved a number of police units across Northumbria in northern England , including specialist search teams , armed response units , helicopters and dog handlers , according to police officials . It came to a head Friday evening when police discovered a man fitting Moat 's description near a riverbank around Rothbury , said Chief Superintendent Mark Dennett of the Northumbria police . `` When he was discovered , he was armed , '' Dennett said . `` Expert negotiators were brought in to speak to him , and spoke to him extensively for several hours . '' Speaking at a press conference Saturday , Temporary Chief Constable Sue Sim confirmed Moat had died after a single gunshot . She said no shots had been fired by police , but that officers had fired a taser . `` Right up until that time police officers were striving to persuade Mr. Moat to give himself up peacefully . During this time , officers discharged a taser . However , this did not prevent his death , '' she said . Witnesses described seeing the man , believed to be Moat , with a shotgun-like weapon aimed at his neck while armed police gathered feet away to speak to him . Because police had contact with Moat before he died , the incident has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission , which is standard in such cases , Northumbria Police said . `` While the incident has been brought to a close , we must be mindful of the impact it has had on many lives , '' Sim said . `` Our thoughts are with the family and friends of those affected . '' British news outlets reported Saturday that police had asked for a media blackout during the investigation because Moat had threatened the public . Among the details they were asked to keep secret was the discovery of a four-hour dictaphone recording in which Moat complained about media coverage of the manhunt , shootings , and his private life . He threatened to harm a member of the public -- perhaps journalists -- for every piece of information he perceived to be inaccurate , CNN affiliate ITN reported . Police were concerned that reports could anger Moat and trigger further violence , the Press Association reported . Police also asked for stories already published about his personal life to be removed from news websites , the PA said . They included stories about Moat 's mother , Josephine Healey -- who had n't seen her son in years -- saying he would be `` better off dead , '' the PA said . In messages posted on his Facebook page after his release from prison , Moat said he was upset that his girlfriend was with a new partner , according to British news outlets . `` Just got out the slammer , '' Moat wrote Friday morning , according to Channel 4 News , which said it had been given access to Moat 's page . Eleven minutes later , Moat wrote , `` Lost my business . Kids to ( social ) services . Gon na lose my home and lost my mrs of nearly 6 years to a copper . How did a guy who had it all end up in this situation . '' Police later said the man Moat killed -- his ex-girlfriend 's partner -- was not a police officer . The most recent pictures police had of Moat were taken on surveillance cameras as he shopped at a building supply store on Friday evening . Moat 's ex-girlfriend and the wounded police officer remain in the hospital .
Raoul Moat was wanted in the shooting of three people last weekend . He was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at a hospital . Moat had been on the run for a week .