(VIDEO) 3 Hospitalized After Shooting Near First Friday Arts Festival in Downtown Las Vegas as Police Probe

LAS VEGAS — Three people were taken to the hospital after a shooting Friday night in the Arts District of downtown Las Vegas, where crowds had gathered for the monthly First Friday arts festival, police said.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said the shooting was reported at 10:17 p.m. near Charleston Boulevard and Main Street.

Police said three victims were transported to the hospital. Their conditions were not immediately known.

Officers secured the area, and the investigation is ongoing, police said. Authorities did not immediately release information about a suspect, a possible motive or any arrests.

Major roads closed

The shooting prompted a large police response and closed a key stretch of road through the Arts District.

All eastbound and westbound lanes of Charleston Boulevard were blocked between Art Way and Grand Central Parkway, according to the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada. Traffic cameras showed multiple emergency vehicles and first responders in the area, with sections of the roadway taped off.

It was not immediately clear when the roads would reopen.

First Friday crowds

The shooting happened as First Friday was underway in the Arts District. The monthly event, held on the first Friday of each month, showcases local artists and draws crowds downtown for art, food, music and entertainment.

A witness who was in the area during the event spoke with FOX5 about the shooting, the station reported.

Shortly after the shooting, posts on social media described a possible mass shooting. Police have confirmed only three victims, and there was no official indication of additional injuries.

Police have not said whether the shooting was connected to the festival or whether any of those involved had attended the event.

Curfew enforcement in place

Las Vegas police had announced stepped-up enforcement of the city's youth curfew during First Friday events. Police have not said whether minors were involved in Friday's shooting.

Authorities have also not said whether the shooting was related to a separate shooting reported Thursday in Las Vegas, in which a girl was arrested and a minor was critically injured near Eastern Avenue and Owens Avenue. Some reports said police described Friday's shooting as unrelated to that incident.

A difficult week for Las Vegas

The shooting came at the end of a week of remembrance in Las Vegas. Thursday marked the ninth anniversary of the Oct. 1, 2017, mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest music festival on the Las Vegas Strip, the deadliest mass shooting by a single gunman in modern U.S. history, in which 60 people were killed and hundreds wounded.

Earlier Friday, community leaders broke ground on the Forever One Memorial, a permanent tribute to the victims of that attack.

Investigation continues

Police did not immediately release the identities or ages of the victims, the circumstances leading up to the shooting or the number of shots fired.

Detectives are expected to review surveillance footage and interview witnesses. The Arts District is a busy area with numerous businesses, galleries and restaurants, many of which have cameras.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department or Crime Stoppers of Southern Nevada at 702-385-5555. Tips can be submitted anonymously.

Police are expected to release more details, including the victims' conditions and whether any suspects have been identified, as the investigation continues.

Drivers are advised to avoid the area around Charleston Boulevard and Main Street until police reopen the roads.

This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.