SEATTLE -- Police on Wednesday said a mother and son were targeted when they were shot while inside their West Seattle apartment on Tuesday night.

Assistant Chief Nick Metz said the 28-year-old woman and her son were shot through the window of their basement apartment unit in the 5500 block of Delridge Way Southwest around 10:30 p.m.

Investigators believe there may have been two gunmen who stood on opposite sides of the apartment unit and opened fire.

The woman was shot several times in the chest and her 10-year-old son was shot in the shoulder, police said. Both were taken to Harborview Medical Center and were expected to recover.

"We don't know if they were the intended targets," Metz said. "It appears at this point that they were the only two in the house."

Police said witnesses saw at least one gunman who appeared to be a teenager jump into a car and drive off. The witnesses called 911 and said they tried to follow the getaway car, but backed off when they heard additional shots being fired.

Officers combed the area with the assistance of a police dog and search helicopter, but the gunmen remain at large.

There was no clear motive, police said, and it is not known whether the gunman knew the victims.

"We're piecing together a number of different leads," Metz said, "and we're hoping to act on those leads as quickly as we can."

Metz said members of the city's gang unit, homicide unit, crime scene investigation division and an FBI liaison were brought in to help with the investigation.

"We're using every means possible to as quickly as possible identify these folks who were involved."

The victims' neighbors said they were rattled by the crime but were not surprised. They said they've seen people coming and going from the victims' apartment at all hours.

"There's drug traffic, people running up and down the alley at night,15 people living in the house. That's kind of crazy," said Aaron Gibbons, whose home was hit by a stray bullet.

Zilma Hernandez said the shooting left her parents in search of a new home.

"They got really scared. And now they're thinking about moving from here because it's really dangerous," she said.

"Looks like everyone who wants to shoot each other, they come here to Delridge," said business owner Dino Apostolov.

But even in the wake of Tuesday's shooting, Apostolov said he believes violence in the area is on the decline.

"It's reduced at least 90 percent," he said. "It's reducing very much. Police are doing a very good job. I've seen them going up and down all night long."