AUBURN — A 16-year-old Lewiston girl and the man who shot her in the leg Wednesday morning met at a party the night before, police said Friday.

Investigators also released a surveillance camera image of a man, described as a person of interest, in connection to the shooting near the corner of Winter and Dennison streets early New Year’s Day.

The day of the shooting, police said it was likely the man was wounded when one of the teens he was attacking stabbed him with a pocket knife.

Investigators said that shortly after 5 a.m. Wednesday, they were called to Dennison Street for a report of a teenager with a gunshot wound to the leg.

When officers arrived, they discovered the victim and her 17-year-old sister who was also injured.

An officer applied a tourniquet to the girl’s leg and she was transported to the hospital with injuries not considered life-threatening, police said. The sister had unknown minor injuries.

Police said the sisters were walking on Dennison Street with friends when a vehicle approached them and a black male and white female got out and began assaulting the 17-year-old.

During the assault, a firearm was discharged and the 16-year-old was struck, police said.

After interviewing the sisters and witnesses, police learned that the 16-year-old had stabbed the male attacker with her pocket knife in an attempt to help her sister.

The male suspect, investigators said, was seen fleeing toward Turner Street before police arrived.

Police on Friday were asking the public for help.

“If you can help identify this individual,” according to a Facebook post, “please contact Detective Andrew Shute at [email protected] or (207) 333-6651, extension 2036, or call our anonymous tip line at 333-6653.”