Auburn police are looking for a man suspected of assaulting a 17-year-old girl in a confrontation that left the girl’s 16-year-old sister with a gunshot wound to her leg.

Both girls were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries from the incident that took place on Dennison Street at about 5 am. New Year’s Day.

Officers found a 16-year-old girl from Lewiston with a gunshot wound in the leg. Officers applied a tourniquet to control the bleeding before she and her sister were taken to the hospital.

Chief Deputy Tim Cougle of the Auburn Police Department says the investigation revealed that the girls were walking on Dennison Street near Winter Street when they were approached by a car. Cougle said a black male and a white female left the vehicle and began to assault the 17-year-old girl. During the fight, a gun went off, hitting the younger girl.

Chief Cougle says victims and witnesses reported that the 16-year-old had stabbed the male with her pocketknife in an attempt to defend her sister, who was being assaulted by the man.

The male suspect fled toward Turner Street before police arrived.

On Friday, Auburn Police released a photo of a person of interest involved in the confrontation.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is urged to contact Detective Andrew Shute at ajshute@auburnmaine.gov or (207) 333-6651, extension 2036.