A St. Cloud man was injured in a shooting near Central Park Thursday afternoon, which is believed to be connected to a physical fight that broke out earlier the same day.

St. Cloud Police Commander Jeff Oxton says officers responded to a parking lot near 25th Avenue and Highway 23 at 12:29 p.m. to break up a fight involving five people. Before officers arrived, all parties involved fled the scene in three vehicles.

Nearly ten minutes later, the dispatch center answered multiple calls about gunshots in the area of Central Park. Officers responded to the park located at 29^th Avenue North and 4 1/2 Street to find a 33-year-old man with a gunshot wound. The man was taken to the St. Cloud Hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

Oxton adds an initial investigation leads officers to believe the suspect knows the 33-year-old victim and the earlier fight may be connected to the shooting.

The St. Cloud Police Department and Central Minnesota Violent Offender Task Force received help from the Waite Park Police Department while searching for evidence. The case is still under investigation.

Anyone with information is urged to contact SCPD at 320-251-1200 or the Tri-County Crime Stoppers at 320-308-1301.