FLATWOODS — Police have determined a shooting Thursday that injured a worker at a Flatwoods nursing home was a stray-bullet incident.

The incident, in which an employee of Oakmont Manor was shot in the right upper arm, also has been ruled accidental, although there’s still a possibility the shooters could face criminal charges, Flatwoods Police Chief Tom Haynes said.

According to Haynes, investigators were able to trace the path of a second bullet that struck a vehicle in the Oakmont Manor parking lot. That led them to an area on a ridge in Raceland, directly across from Oakmont Manor, where they found about 50 spent shell casings of five different calibers, he said.

Officers also found some trees that had been “pretty chewed up” by gunfire, Haynes said.

The chief estimated the area from which the shots were fired was 200 to 250 yards from the nursing home. He also said that because of the dense foliage on the ridge, it’s highly unlikely the shooters even knew they were firing in the direction of Oakmont Manor.

Through investigation, police were able to locate two 18-year-old men believed to have been the ones who did the shooting, Haynes said. One of them turned the weapons over to police for examination, he said.

Haynes said the police department would turn its findings over to the office of Greenup Commonwealth’s Attorney Cliff Duvall to determine whether charges should be filed.

The chief said the incident underscored the importance of using the highest degree caution when firing weapons.

“Anyone who’s done any shooting at all should know how important it is to know what is down range,” he said.

Thursday’s incident, which occurred about 3:30 p.m., caused anxiety among family members of Oakmont Manor residents and triggered a lockdown by the Russell Independent Schools.

The nursing home employee who was shot suffered what Haynes described as a “through and through” injury, meaning the round entered one side of his arm and came out the other. He was taken to Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital, where he was released after treatment.

KENNETH HART can be reached at khart@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2654.