Claude Lemieux Confronted Over Relapse Concerns Prior To Death

Claude Lemieux's wife was concerned about his behavior in the months leading up to his death ... with officials detailing a confrontation about the late NHL star's sobriety hours before he took his own life.

Officials released the incident report on Claude's tragic death on May 28 ... in which his son, Brendan, explained the family had noticed a change in his dad's behavior over the past year -- and they were concerned he might have relapsed after 12 years of sobriety.

When Claude's wife, Deborah, confronted him on May 27 about her concerns, the report states he acknowledged he relapsed ... and Deborah told him to leave the home at 10:30 PM.

Deborah then called Brendan ... and he ultimately made his way to their residence to discuss how they can support Claude.

Later in the evening, Brendan checked Claude's location on his phone and noticed he was at the family business ... so he drove over and located his dad's Ford truck in the parking lot.

Brendan knew Claude kept a firearm in the glovebox of the car, and due to the "emotional aspect of the situation," he removed the weapon and secured it in his own vehicle.

When Brendan entered the warehouse of the business, he located his father and called 911 at 3:24 AM. Claude was pronounced dead minutes later.

Officials say a cell phone was near Claude's body ... with a message written on it.

A bag of THC edibles was also discovered near Claude's body on the scene. Officials say a toxicology report listed "negative" for all analytes.

As we previously reported, Claude died by suicide at 60 years old. He is survived by Deborah and his four children.