HOUSTON -- A man died Tuesday afternoon after leading police on a high-speed chase throughout Houston that ended in gunfire, KPRC Local 2 reported.

Investigators said officers stopped a driver for speeding on the South Freeway near Orem Drive on Tuesday morning and he took off.

Detectives said the chase went onto the North and Katy freeways before the driver got onto the West Loop. The motorist eventually stopped the SUV on the southbound feeder road of the West Loop near Post Oak Boulevard about 50 minutes later, police said.

There was a short standoff and officers tried to break out the window on the passenger's side of the SUV.

Officials said the driver did not respond to initial commands to exit the vehicle.

"This went back and forth with the officers trying to get the guy to roll down his window, show his hands and exit the vehicle," said Sgt. John Chomiak with the Houston Police Department.

When he did step out, the driver reached for something under the driver's seat, officials said.

Police said they spotted a shiny object, and Sgt. A.J. Washington and Officer C.A. Foster fired once, hitting the man.

"They see the suspect exit the vehicle, turn around, reach down underneath the driver's seat and that's when the officers shot," Chomiak said.

The man then tumbled out of the vehicle and fell to the ground. Officers handcuffed the driver, who lay motionless on the pavement until an ambulance arrived. Officers leaned down and spoke to him as they waited for the ambulance to arrive.

The driver, whose name was not released, died at Ben Taub Hospital. He was only identified as a 52-year-old man.

Investigators said two handguns and a shotgun were found inside the SUV, including one that was within the driver's reach.

No vehicles were hit during the chase.

Traffic along the West Loop South was backed up for miles while police conducted an investigation on the frontage road and shut down the busy area for more than three hours.