A 12-year-old boy asleep on a couch was almost hit by a stray bullet Thursday evening, according to his family.

Stamford police said shots were fired on Custer Street around 6:20 p.m. while a group of people were hanging out up the block.

"The preliminary information at this time is that a vehicle had gone by, and words were exchanged. A shot was fired from the vehicle toward the group, and as the vehicle fled, a member or members of the group returned fire at the fleeing vehicle," said Lt. Tom Scanlon.

Guido Segovia, who lives on Custer Street, told News 12 he initially thought the noise was from a car.

"All of a sudden, I heard the first pop, and then after like 10-15 seconds, we hear, 'Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!' Maybe about four or five more," Segovia said. "My wife was doing homework with my grandson, and when she heard that, put my grandson on the ground. And then my son with my granddaughter went down on the ground, too."

Segovia and his family were safe inside their home, but just across the street, two bullets tore through a different home. The people living there didn't want to go on camera but allowed News 12 into their house to see the path of damage. The bullets ricocheted off walls, then through a glass door, narrowly missing one of three kids who were home. They're all shaken but physically OK.

"Investigators are in the field looking for more witness information and also video evidence at this time," Scanlon told News 12. "We're very, very fortunate that this incident wasn't much worse than it is."

Police ask anyone with information on the shooting to call Sgt. Sean Boeger of the Major Crimes Unit at (203) 977-4421.