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NATCHEZ — Natchez police officers are investigating a shooting that took place at approximately 8:30 a.m. Tuesday on Watts Avenue and injured a garbage collector, officials said.

“The people who pick up trash on a trash truck were going through and someone commenced to shoot,” said Walter Armstrong, Natchez chief of police. “It struck one of the guys picking up trash.”

Armstrong said the victim was treated and released Tuesday from Merit Health Natchez with a non-life-threatening injury.

“It is an active investigation,” Armstrong said. “We are following leads to determine who the shooter was and asking anyone who may have seen or heard anything to call police.”

Armstrong said he is happy the victim was not killed and has been treated and released.

“Nevertheless, we need to arrest the person who committed this violent act,” Armstrong said, adding that criminals are not adhering to stay-at-home or social distancing orders amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “We are still answering calls. The volume has decreased. We had a burglary call over the weekend. Everybody is not going to adhere to rules of social distancing and staying in.”