HAMMOND, La. (WVUE) - The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office is asking the public's help to identify and locate three "persons of interest" believed to have information relevant to an investigation into gun and narcotics crimes.

The agency said the three people pictured above fled Thursday (Aug. 7) from a vehicle that crashed at a gas station on Wardline Road in Hammond, with what witnesses described as "machine guns."

Investigators found the crashed vehicle had been reported stolen from the Independence area a year ago. Detectives also found one member of the group had attempted to stash an assault-style firearm inside the gas station's outdoor bagged-ice freezer, possibly for later retrieval.

The TPSO said a search of the crash vehicle turned up "drugs and firearm accessories."

The agency stopped short of labeling any of the three as suspects, but said, "Detectives have determined some or all of these individuals may also be involved in a shots-fired incident from last month in the Independence area."

Sheriff Gerald Sticker encourages anyone with information on the trio's names and whereabouts to contact the TPSO at (985) 402-2088 or Crimestoppers of Tangipahoa at (800) 554-5245.