RED BANK — A Lawrence County man and his grandmother were each shot in the foot but managed to escape life-threatening injuries Monday morning during what authorities describe as a drive-by shooting.

Lawrence County Sheriff Gene Mitchell said someone fired into their house in the Red Bank community about 5 a.m.

“They were both lucky,” Mitchell said. “They were both shot in the foot, but it could have been a lot worse.”

The man and his grandmother live in a manufactured home on Lawrence 270, which is north of Town Creek just off Alabama 101.

Mitchell said someone fired several shots from a high-powered, semi-automatic rifle, striking the residence several times. Investigators were trying to determine Monday afternoon how many bullets struck the home.

Authorities said a car parked outside the residence also was riddled with bullets.

The man and his grandmother were in their beds when the shooting began, authorities said

Authorities said the woman has health problems that require her to sleep in a hospital bed.

“Not only did one of the bullets hit her in the foot, but another went right past the woman’s head,” Lawrence County investigator Capt. Tim McWhorter said.

Mitchell said investigators collected evidence at the scene that will be sent to the Alabama Department of Forensics.

“Hopefully, it will help us determine what kind of rifle was used and who the owner is,” Mitchell said.

He said investigators are still trying to determine what initiated the shooting.

“There’s a lot of questions we still need to have answered and hopefully we can get those answers as the investigation continues,” Mitchell said. “I’m just so thankful no one was seriously injured. This could have been a real bad situation.”

The sheriff asks that anyone with information about the shooting contact 256-974-9291 or Shoals Area Crime Stoppers at 256-386-8685.

Tom Smith can be reached at 256-740-5757 or tom.smith@TimesDaily.com.