ROSELAND — Tangipahoa Parish deputies said Tuesday they had arrested six people and are searching for an additional suspect in a July 1 drive-by shooting that targeted a witness in a homicide investigation.

Detectives said a man was unloading his car when he was shot at by a group of people in another car driving by. 

"What we understand is that they were all in the same vehicle and there were up to 20 shell casings on the scene that were recovered by our detectives," said Ashley Rodrigue, a spokeswoman for Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office. 

The victim was not injured. While investigating the shooting, deputies learned the man was a witness in a separate homicide investigation and the shooting was part of a murder-for-hire scheme. 

"It can't be ignored that that victim is a witness in a homicide investigation, so we have put together in this investigation that there is knowledge of that, and there is probably a very strong motive in this case to target this individual," Rodrigue said.

Six people have been arrested amid the shooting investigation: Randall Brewer, 32; Broderick Coleman, 19; Jermaine Henderson, 45; Patricia Kirby, 18; Mason Otero, 21; and Justin Summerford, 27. Brewer, Coleman and Henderson were accused of attempted first-degree murder of a witness. The others were named as accessories.

Rodrigue says the circumstances of the crime make it that more concerning for the department. 

"They were not just trying to take someone's life but they were trying to affect the outcome of our justice system and that is just an even more elevated crime that everyone should be concerned with," Rodrigue said.

The seventh suspect, Khyle Deitch, 26, is wanted for attempted first-degree murder, obstruction of justice and intimidation of a witness. 

Deputies believe Deitch is armed and dangerous and likely has left the parish.

Anyone with information about Deitch's whereabouts to contact the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division at 985-902-2045.