An innocent bystander is believed to have been hit when multiple persons began exchanging gunfire Sunday in a Jennings neighborhood, police said.

The incident happened around 8:11 p.m. Sunday in the 1300 block of West Street, just off South Main Street, according to Police Chief Danny Semmes.

“Our officers responded to the area after receiving reports of shots being fired,” Semmes said. “They discovered about 25 shell casings at two locations indicating the shots were fired by multiple persons.”

Police believe the incident involved multiple shooters because different caliber shell casings were recovered in the area and the gunfire came from one than one direction, he said.

The victim, who was about a block away, is believed to have been hit in the chin by a ricochet or a bullet fragment. He was taken to the Jennings American Legion Hospital with non-life threatening injuries, Semmes said.

A nearby house and two cars were also struck by the bullets, he said.

“We have obtained a search warrant for one of the cars which we believe was involved in the actual incident,” Semmes said.

Police on Monday did not have a description of any vehicles or suspects believed to be involved in the shooting , as the suspects involved fled the scene before authorities arrived.

Police are asking anyone who may have seen or heard anything or who may have security camera video from the area at the time of the shooting to contact the anonymous police tip line at 337-275-9002.