WATERVILLE — City police are investigating an apparent assault late Friday night on The Concourse that initially involved reports of gunshots, but the case has been difficult to sort out because witnesses and those involved had been drinking alcohol and gave conflicting stories, according to Deputy police Chief Bill Bonney.

Police at 11:45 p.m. Friday responded to the east end of The Concourse after receiving a report that gunshots were fired. Officers found a man in his 30s who was alone and lying on the ground with a cut on his head after apparently being assaulted, Bonney said Monday. Witnesses said later that there had been an altercation involving four people and some believed a firearm had been involved, though police said they haven’t found any evidence gunshots were fired.

“He had a laceration on his head, and so that could have been from any number of things,” Bonney said of the victim, whom he is not naming. “He was injured on the ground. It could have been from a fall. It could have been from being struck. It could have been from any number of things.”

Rescue and Delta Ambulance were called to the scene, but apparently the man was not taken to a hospital.

Officers investigated and called in Detective Duane Cloutier, who also investigated. They were unable to determine whether shots were fired, according to Bonney.

“The victim had no bullet wounds,” he said.

Police searched the area thoroughly, both Friday night and Saturday, but did not find any spent bullet shells or any impact to buildings to indicate shots had been fired, he said.

“Alcohol was a major factor in this incident, which made it very, very difficult to determine what happened,” Bonney said. “It remains under investigation, but we have not been able to determine that shots actually were fired. Complicating it was that other witnesses in the area at the time did not hear any gunshots.”

Amy Calder — 861-9247

acalder@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @AmyCalder17