A man who is suspected of shooting his ex-partner dead outside a park before fleeing the scene has died after being found badly wounded in the dunes near The Hague.

The 53-year-old was traced to Scheveningen yesterday evening after a four-hour manhunt that began when a 39-year-old woman was shot on Bosweg in Gouda.

Witnesses said the woman was with her two young children, one of whom screamed “my mother has been murdered”. Ambulance workers were quickly on the scene but were unable to save the victim’s life.

One neighbour, Mathias de Jong, told AD.nl he was working at home when he heard gunshots outside. “I heard two and then another two,” he said. “At first I thought it was fireworks. I only realised what was going on when I heard the sirens.”

The family were from Eindhoven. The man was found in the dunes near the Zwarte Pad, one of the main car parks for the Scheveningen beach resort, just after 8pm. He died from his injuries shortly afterwards despite the intervention of emergency services.

Police believe he took his own life and are not looking for any other suspects in connection with the woman’s death. Investigations are continuing into the events leading up to the shooting.

According to the Telegraaf, the woman and her children lived in a women’s refugee because she was terrified of her ex. Witnesses told the paper she had also alerted the police several times, saying she feared for her life.

Witnesses to the incident can contact Slachtofferhulp (victim support) on 0900 0101 or via the website.