Hawaii island detectives are investigating a shooting in which a police officer wounded a man who allegedly drove an SUV toward police after a short vehicle chase in Hilo.

The 38-year-old man was reported in stable condition Monday after he fled in a vehicle and then drove recklessly toward two police officers, Assistant Police Chief Henry Tava­res said. He was shot in the torso.

"They felt their lives were being threatened, and … fired … in an attempt to stop the threat," Tava­res said in an interview Monday evening. "One officer fired three shots."

Tavares said the suspect was under police watch in a room in Hilo Medical Center.

He said the man was being held on suspicion of terroristic threatening and that more charges are pending.

Shortly after 11:30 a.m. Monday, when police responded to a report of a domestic incident at a vehicle in the Pana­ewa area, the driver fled in the vehicle, and officers pursued the vehicle to Stainback Highway.

Police said the driver turned the vehicle around on a side road and drove it recklessly toward two officers, and in response, three shots were fired toward the vehicle. The man driving the vehicle then drove a short distance away, left the SUV and fled into bushes. Police later arrested the Pahoa man as a suspect.

Police said a woman involved in the domestic incident left the vehicle before officers arrived at the scene. She was located in Hilo.

As is standard practice in any police-involved shooting, the Hawaii Police Department will conduct a criminal investigation and the Office of Professional Standards will conduct an administrative investigation, police said.