Police are searching for whoever opened fire in the Venice Boardwalk area Wednesday night, striking one victim.

Multiple callers reported hearing shots fired about 6:40 p.m. in the Boardwalk area near Venice Boulevard, Los Angeles Police Department Captain Brian Morrison said.

The victim was apparently shot in a parking lot but was located about a block away suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to the chest, Morrison said.  

The unidentified victim, believed to be about 20 years old, was taken to a local hospital in critical but stable condition, Morrison said.

Shell casings and several vehicles with bullet holes were found in a nearby parking lot.

The suspect and victim were part of a group that got into a verbal altercation prior to the shooting, LAPD Officer Tony Im said.

Im described the suspect as a 19-year-old man. No further details were given.

The suspect may have fled the scene in a vehicle but no description was available.

Morrison said the area does get some gang activity but it was too early to tell if this shooting was gang related.

Investigators are searching the area for surveillance video.