This is the deadly moment a cannabis suspect tries to shoot it out with the police after a car chase.

Three-times-convicted Christopher Dearman had been stopped by officers for a broken rear light in San Diego, California, USA, on 20th January.

But police footage of the drama shows that when he apparently admitted he was carrying cannabis, he refused to let police search his pickup truck and roared off.

Within minutes, Dearman, 37, stopped again and jumped out of his truck with a gun in his hand.

During a furious shoot-out, police and Dearman exchanged shots before the suspect fell to the tarmac and groaned in agony.

One of his rounds had reportedly hit the police patrol car windscreen just inches from one of the officers.

Newsflash obtained a statement from the San Diego Police Department on Thursday, 26th January, saying: “When officers talked to Mr Dearman they could smell an odour of marijuana.

“Officers told him they needed to search his car but he was uncooperative.”

Police discovered that Dearman had previous firearms convictions and needed to search his car for guns.

Dearman was detained and taken to hospital, where he later died of gunshot wounds.

It is understood that the officer-involved shooting, which the police said took place on 20th January, is being investigated.