CENTRAL POINT — Two men suffered gunshot wounds and a third man was arrested on an attempted murder charge following what may have been a drug-fueled shoot-out late Wednesday at a rural Central Point home, authorities said.

Investigators also believe perhaps one or more people involved in the 11:05 p.m. gunfight at 5710 Gebhard Road may still be at large, and that at least one of the victims may still be at risk of another attack.

A flurry of gunshots reported by neighbors led Jackson County sheriff’s deputies to the residence, where they found 18-year-old Maldinero Espino-Cruz lying in blood on the kitchen floor, authorities said.

Moments later, police received a 9-1-1 call from 22-year-old Neftali Vazquez-Gomez, saying he was in his car on Interstate 5 with a friend who needed medical attention for multiple gunshot wounds, according to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department.

Police found Vazquez-Gomez as well as the wounded man — who was identified as 30-year-old Adalid Gutierez-Mendoza of Salem — parked in a white Volkswagen Jetta on the northbound I-5 shoulder near the Tolo Road overpass, deputies said.

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Deputies arrested Vazquez-Gomez on a charge of attempted murder early Thursday morning following an interview with police in Medford, sheriff’s Sgt. Rich Fogarty said.

The charge alleges that Vazquez-Gomez shot Espino-Cruz, who police believe is from the San Joaquin Valley in California, Fogarty said.

Vazquez-Gomez, who gave police a Salem address, remained jailed Thursday without bail pending a review of his immigration status, jail records indicate.

Espino-Cruz and Gutierez-Mendoza each were rushed separately to a local hospital, but Fogarty declined to reveal their status or even identify the hospital because "at least one of these guys may still be in danger," he said.

Fogarty on Thursday declined to reveal what potential motives police are exploring in the shooting, but he said they were looking closely at drug involvement.

"This kind of violence doesn’t normally evolve over something like a small debt," Fogarty said.

Witnesses reported at least one other vehicle speeding away from the area around the time of the shooting, said Fogarty, who declined to describe the vehicle.

No weapons were recovered as of Thursday afternoon, when investigators were preparing warrants to search the house and the Jetta, Fogarty said.

Fogarty said investigators were "fairly certain" that other people were present at the property, which includes mobile homes, out-buildings and several vehicles, when the shooting occurred.

Neither of the two victims gave police Rogue Valley addresses. The house where the shooting occurred was rented five days ago for cash to a man whose identity investigators had not yet confirmed Thursday, Fogarty said.

The shooting occurred on the same property where a trailer was destroyed by fire in May.

On Thursday morning, chickens ran free and a large white dog with a chain dangling from his collar roamed the property’s driveway. Nearby, several large roosters were tethered to individual wooden shelters while sheriff’s deputies stood guard over the crime scene.

Neighbor Jack Van Ek said he had just turned off his television shortly after 11 p.m. Wednesday when he heard a strange noise outside.

"It sounded like scratching on the side of my house, TAT-TAT-TAT," said Van Ek, who lives across Gebhard Road from the crime scene. "That’s all we heard. I went outside and looked around and saw nothing. A few minutes later, in came the red lights."

A different neighbor, who police declined to identify, reported the shooting to police.

When deputies arrived, they were initially unable to find anyone there, police said. After what police called a "tactical approach" to the residence with guns drawn, the deputies discovered Espino-Cruz.

Fogarty declined to discuss the nature of either victim’s wounds, other than that they sustained "several gunshot wounds."

The multi-agency Jackson County Major Assault and Death Investigation Team was probing the case Thursday.

Reach reporter Mark Freeman at 776-4470, or e-mail mfreeman@mailtribune.com.