NATCHEZ — Investigators spent Thursday night and most of Friday combing the grounds of the Holiday Apartments where a shooting occurred shortly after 8 p.m. Thursday.

At least three people were injured in the shooting and possibly a fourth, said Natchez Police Chief Walter Armstrong on Friday afternoon.

Two victims were airlifted to hospitals, one in Jackson and another in Rapides Parish, Thursday night with serious gunshot injuries, Armstrong said.

“I’m hearing three victims,” Armstrong said, adding he was awaiting word from area ambulance services that might have transported any other victims. “I haven’t confirmed but there may have been someone else slightly injured. We are hearing another one got shot in the arm, but there were no admissions to the local emergency rooms.”

Armstrong said investigators are reviewing and downloading Project NOLA video camera surveillance footage from the grounds of the Holiday Apartments and have collected evidence from the scene of the shootings.

“We are running down a whole bunch of leads,” Armstrong said. “We are hoping to develop a suspect.”

Armstrong said investigators believe more than one shooter was involved in the Thursday’s shooting.

“We strongly believe only one person was targeted,” Armstrong said, adding that other bystanders were injured by stray bullets. “What makes this altercation all too dangerous is he is shooting in a confined area.”

No condition reports were available Friday afternoon on the victims who were airlifted, Armstrong said.

Adams County Sheriff Travis Patten said he dispatched 20 deputies to the scene Thursday night and the deputies were still working the scene Friday with Natchez police officers.

“We are hoping someone comes forward and gives us some information,” Patten said. “We are assisting the police department and sharing information from both agencies. We know somebody has heard or seen something and can come forward.”

Armstrong agreed the public’s assistance with sharing information would be crucial in arresting a suspect.

“We need the public’s help on this real bad, and it is an example of how innocent people can be injured and even killed,” Armstrong said. “The Adams County Sheriff’s Office and Police Department are working around the clock and working with outside agencies as well. We are reviewing the cameras, downloading them, and we will continue to monitor them.”

Both Patten and Armstrong said people who live in areas affected by recent shootings — Inez Street, West Stiers Lane, East Stiers Lane and the Holiday Apartment complex — should share any information they might have on the recent shootings.

“The key ingredient is the help of the public,” Armstrong said. “I cannot emphasize enough the importance of people who live in those areas sharing information. The shooters are shooting very dangerous weapons with high power. We don’t need anybody on the street with those kinds of weapons. This person has demonstrated he is dangerous and extremely reckless.”

Patten said the Adams County Sheriff’s Office would continue to assist the police department in the investigation, especially through the holiday weekend.

“We are exhausting every means,” Patten said. “There comes a time when they (residents) have to want to protect themselves. We need the need public’s help in order to bring closure to this.”

The Sheriff’s Office offers two ways for people to report crimes and potential crimes anonymously if the callers would like by calling 911 or using the 411 app available on the Adams County Sheriff’s Office’s website at adamscosheriff.org.

The Natchez Police Department also encourages people to call with information at 601-445-5565 or for anonymous reporting, Crime Stoppers at 601-442-5000.