( CNN ) -- A sheriff 's deputy who killed six young people at a house party in Crandon , Wisconsin , apparently died after shooting himself three times in the head with a .40-caliber pistol , the state attorney general said . Tyler Peterson , a sheriff 's deputy , shot and killed six people , police said . Initial reports that 20-year-old Tyler Peterson was killed by a police sniper 's bullet were apparently incorrect , though it appears the sniper may have shot Peterson in the arm , Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen said . Although the final forensic determination could take several weeks , the attorney general said that Peterson had his personal .40-caliber Glock when police found him . The three gunshots to the head came from a .40-caliber . `` The three gunshot wounds to the head included two nonfatal rounds with entry points below the chin , and one fatal shot that entered Peterson through the right side of the head , '' Van Hollen said . `` Each of the three head shots were fired while the gun was in contact with his skin , or extremely close to the skin , '' he said . `` These three head wounds are consistent with self-inflicted wounds , and not consistent with long-range rifle fire . '' The fourth gunshot wound , Van Hollen said , struck Peterson in the left bicep and appeared to have been fired from a rifle `` at some distance . '' Watch Van Hollen explain the shootings `` will never make sense '' » . Peterson was a Forest County sheriff 's deputy and a part-time officer with the Crandon Police Department . According to Van Hollen , Peterson , while off-duty shortly before 3 a.m. Sunday , entered a house where the seven young men and women had gathered . While there , Van Hollen said , Peterson apparently got into an argument with Jordanne Murray , accusing her of having a relationship with another person . `` The argument got heated , and Murray demanded he leave , '' the attorney general said . `` Peterson left , and returned minutes later , '' breaking down the door and opening fire with an AR-15 rifle , of the type he was issued by the Forest County Sheriff 's Department . Police said Peterson fired about 30 rounds . Fewer than 20 minutes later , a patrolling Crandon police officer , after hearing gunfire , reported it and went to the house to investigate , Van Hollen said . The officer , Greg Carter , 21 , reported seeing Peterson leave the house with a rifle . After momentarily losing sight of Peterson , Carter `` heard multiple rounds of gunfire '' and his windshield burst . Peterson escaped . Van Hollen said that Peterson apparently `` drove aimlessly around the northern part of the state '' for several hours , calling in false reports to police to throw them off . Peterson ended up at a cabin in the town of Argonne shortly before 8 a.m . He told friends about the shootings , handed over the AR-15 and two other rifles and left the cabin . After meeting with family members , he returned to the cabin around 9:15 a.m. Police arrived about 15 minutes later , Van Hollen said . Peterson was killed during a police shootout after police could n't persuade him to surrender . All seven victims were students or graduates of Crandon High School , from which Peterson also was a graduate . In addition to Murray , the dead were identified as Aaron Smith , Bradley Schultz , Lindsey Stahl , Lianna Thomas and Katrina McCorkle . The sole survivor , Charlie Neitzel , 21 , `` played dead '' after Peterson shot him three times , Van Hollen said . After Peterson shot him once , Neitzel begged him to stop . But Peterson fired again . Neitzel fell to the floor , was shot a third time and did n't move . `` Playing dead until Peterson left , Neitzel survived , '' Van Hollen said . Neitzel was the last person shot . Neitzel underwent surgery Tuesday and was in stable condition Tuesday night , a hospital employee said . The families of the six slain young people asked that media leave them alone in their grief , Van Hollen told reporters . But the families of the victims also wanted it known that they had met with Peterson 's family . `` They hold no animosity toward them , '' Van Hollen said , conveying the families ' wishes that the Peterson family be allowed space and time to heal . E-mail to a friend .
Attorney general : Deputy shot himself twice in the chin , once in side of the head . Forensic examination on deputy could take several weeks . Shots to deputy 's head `` consistent with self-inflicted wounds '' After killing six people at party , Peterson drove around , confessed to friends .