A man dumped at a South Anchorage gas station with a gunshot wound early Monday morning led police to discover an alleged commercial marijuana grow at his residence, an Anchorage Police Department spokesman said.

It started around 12:30 a.m. Monday, when police say Mark Purcella, 42, was dumped at the entryway of a combination McDonald's restaurant and Chevron gas station at the corner of Lake Otis Parkway and Abbott Road bleeding from a gunshot wound to his lower back.

Officers responding arrived just as Michael Hedgepeth, whom police said had driven the victim to the gas station, was trying to leave. Police detained him.

Before being sent to a local hospital for treatment, Purcella told police that he had been letting his dog out the back door of his house on the 800 block of Center St. when an unknown person shot him.

He told police Hedgepeth was his roommate.

"Apparently the roommate didn't want to be associated with their house," said APD spokesman Lt. Dave Parker.

Police soon found out why.

When they arrived at the house at the 800 block of Center Street with a search warrant to investigate the crime scene, they found what Parker described as a commercial marijuana grow of "dozens" of plants in the house, complete with lights, watering systems, ventilation and reflective foil on the walls.

Only the dog was home.

"The dog was friendly," Parker said.

Parker said the police amended their search warrant to investigate the alleged marijuana grow as well.

Police are still piecing together who shot Purcella and why, but they are "certainly considering as a possibility" that the crime is related to the alleged marijuana grow, Parker said.

Purcella's condition was not seen as critical, said Parker. He remains in the hospital.

Hedgepeth was interviewed by police and released. His truck is being held as evidence.

No charges have been filed related to the alleged grow or the shooting yet, Parker said. Police are still looking for a suspect.