A shootout in a north Melbourne apartment complex Thursday morning left a woman injured and a suspect still on the run, police said.

According to police, a man and a woman came home to the Portofino Villas Apartments and found another man inside the apartment. An argument ensued, and it escalated into gunfire between the two men.

"All of sudden I heard five shots, and I say oh, that's a gunshot," said Joanne Etri, who works across the street.

Vince Conti was painting a building across the street just after 10 Thursday morning.

"Heard pop, pop, three more pops and that was it," he said.

A woman was caught in the crossfire and was struck. She has been taken to an area hospital in an unknown condition.

Deputies said the suspect and the boyfriend also exchanged gunfire in the parking lot after the initial shooting.

The man that was with the woman wasn't injured and was working with investigators to explain the confrontation. He was holding his child and wearing a bloodied shirt in the back of a patrol car.



Melbourne police called in the Brevard County Sheriff's Office's SWAT team to determine if the second man was still inside the apartment, but they discovered the unit was empty after a sweep.

Police say he too may have been hit during the gunfire exchange.

Residents say many kids live in the complex. They could have also been caught in the crossfire.

"So many children come out with the bus stop right here. That could happen anytime during school hours," said Erti.

Several residents also said there has been a lot of crime in this community. But things have gotten better since a new property management company came in.

We asked for comment, but the manager refused.

So far, there is no word on the condition of the woman who was shot.