ZEBULON, N.C. — Authorities in North Carolina are searching for three men who fired at officers from a wooded area Sunday night.

News outlets reported that Wake County deputies were responding to reports of shots fired near Zebulon around 7:30 p.m. before the men started firing at them from inside a wooded area, Wake County Sheriff’s Public Information Officer Eric Curry said.

The three men were armed with assault weapons and continued firing at deputies after receiving orders to stop, Curry said. No deputies were wounded, he said.

Deputies called for backup and partially surrounded the men, but did not fire back out of concern for the safety of residents in the area, and the men managed to flee, Curry told WTVD-TV.

Curry said authorities later found shell casings from rifles and handguns at the scene.

The state highway patrol and Zebulon police have joined Wake County deputies in searching for the suspects and are asking the public’s help for any information.

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