Hundreds of mourning Peruvians flocked to the wake of former president Alan Garcia just hours after the two-time head of state dramatically shot himself in the head to avoid arrest. Supporters of the 69-year-old's APRA party watched as their ex-leader's coffin was paraded through the group's headquarters in Lima last night. The dead statesman's son and current partner wept during the service but defiant cries from the party faithful of 'APRA never dies!' also rang out. Garcia, a formidable orator who was on the county's political frontline for three decades, served as Peru's president between 1985 and 1990 and latterly between 2006 and 2011. But his second tenure was allegedly dogged with corruption and led to a criminal investigation which yesterday saw the ex-premier take his own life. Nearly one thousand supporters crammed into the APRA party's Lima headquarters last night to pay respects to former president Alan Garcia who shot himself They watched as their ex-leader's coffin was paraded into the atrium and through the crowds Frederico Danton Garcia, his son, and Roxanne Cheesman, his partner, weep during the ceremony As officers moved in to detain him, Garcia said that he needed to speak with his lawyer and then shut himself in his room before a firearm blast was heard. He was rushed to Casimiro Ulloa hospital in the capital after officers discovered he had put a bullet in his skull. The ex-premier fought for his life for around three hours, during which time he suffered multiple cardiac arrests and was resuscitated three times, before incumbent President Martinez Vizcarra confirmed his death. Tributes from allies of Garcia have been pouring in, including from those who are defending his suicide. Mauricio Mulder, an APRA congressman, said: 'Garcia made a decision as a free man. It was a decision of dignity and honor.' And the party's co-general secretary, Omar Quesada, said: 'Alan Garcia has died, long live Apra.' X-ray images purportedly show the gunshot wound left by the bullet which passed completely through his head. The images have not been verified by MailOnline but the hospital monitor clearly shows yesterday's date and Garcia's full name. Former Peruvian president (pictured in 2006) Alan Garcia shot himself in the head at his Lima home moments after police stormed in to arrest him for corruption charges Dramatic X-ray images appear to show Garcia's skull hours before he died in hospital A scan purports to show the gunshot wound left when the bullet passed through Garcia's head Footage taken from yesterday morning purported to show police officers arriving at President Garcia's house Garcia was sent to hospital at 6.45am local time yesterday and had been in the operating room since 7.10am. Speaking to reporters about the moments leading up to the fatal shooting, interior Minister Carlos Moran revealed that Garcia had told police he needed to call his attorney after they arrived at his home in Lima to arrest him. Mr Moran said: 'He entered his room and closed the door behind him. 'Within a few minutes, a shot from a firearm was heard, and police forcibly entered the room and found Garcia sitting with a wound in his head.' He was under investigation after allegedly accepting bribes from Brazilian construction titan Odebrecht in return for contracts during his most recent spell in office. Family members and party faithful encircle the coffin which holds the body of the former president Chants of 'APRA never dies' rang out as Peruvians pay tribute to the two-time head of state Many Peruvians descended on the hall in Lima to catch a final glimpse of the man, a once powerful speaker, who inspired so many within the party The two-time President who served between 1985 and 1990 and also from 2006 to 2011 testified to the attorney prosecutor's office about alleged bribery in February 2017 Odebrecht has admitted that it paid $29million to Peruvian officials during three Presidential tenures, but Garcia maintains his innocence and has slammed the inquiry as a political smear. In a 2016 plea agreement with the US Justice Department, the Brazilian company admitted that it paid corrupt officials across Latin America nearly $800million to secure major infrastructure contracts. Garcia, who led the country's Apra party, testified in front of the attorney prosecutor about these accusations in February 2017 and was supposed to give evidence in November 2018 but the hearing was cancelled at the last minute. He was a powerful speaker and appealed to a strong nationalist base to win his first election but after his administration brought crippling hyperinflation he governed as a free-marketeer on his return to the Palacio de Gobierno. The hearse carrying the body of Garcia leaves the hospital en route to the APRA party headquarters The dead leader's face was projected on to a screen behind a statue of Christ as his supporters gathered to pay their respects Garcia's grieving partner, Roxanne Cheesman, cries in front of her beloved's coffin at the Lima ceremony Peruvian politics has been mired in suspected corruption which led to another former president, Pedro Pablo Kucyznski, detained last week. Allies of Kuczynski said he was also taken on Tuesday night to a local clinic with high blood pressure. A judge last week ordered Kuczynski's detention for 10 days as he investigates 782,000 dollars in previously undisclosed payments from Odebrecht more than a decade ago. A hearing is scheduled to take place to decide whether to increase his detention to three years. Neighbouring South American nation Uruguay rejected Garcia's asylum plea late last year. Peruvian President Alan Garcia raises his hands victoriously during his inauguration in Lima in 1985 Garcia was called as a witness as part of the Odebrecht investigation in November 2018 but the hearing was cancelled at the last minute Supporters of the Peruvian ex-president Alan Garcia gathered outside the Casimiro Ulloa Emergency Hospital yesterday waving 'Apra' flags in reference to the party he used to lead A supporter of Garcia's reacts to his shooting outside the hospital while she waits for news on the former president's condition Peru's police officers stand guard at the emergency hospital Casimiro Ulloa where former Peruvian President Alan Garcia was takenAll rights reserved for this news site dailymail and under his responsibility