Thousands of people, including several celebrities, stormed out of an Atlanta nightclub early Saturday when a gun was fired as patrons at Atlanta-based rap artist and producer Jermaine Dupri’s party shoved to get into the VIP area, police said.

A bullet grazed the elbow of a security guard, whose name was not released, and his injury was minor, according to DeKalb County Police spokesman officer Marcus Hodge.

There have been no arrests and the gun has not been found.

Hodge said none of the celebrities at the party were injured.

Investigators are getting “sketchy” and “conflicting statements” from people who were at Club Dream at 3595 Clairmont Road around 3:30 a.m. Saturday, Hodge said.

Some witnesses claimed as many as 6,000 people were in the club but Hodge said the number was much smaller, though there were at least 2,000 to 3,000 at the club at the time of the shooting.

“There was an argument that took place involving the security at the club and the patrons,” Hodge said.

Some guests became angry when they learned they had to pay twice if they wanted entry to the VIP section; they paid at the door to get inside the club and were charged again if they wanted entry to the VIP section, Hodge said. The costs to get in the club or the VIP area were not available.

“They started pushing to get into the VIP section. Security came to calm it down and an altercation broke out,” Hodge said. “More security came over … and that’s when someone brandished a gun and … shot one of the security officers in the arm.”

Hodge said investigators were still questioning witnesses but “no one is seeing anything.”

Hodge added: “We don’t believe any of the performers were involved in it at all” and Dupri and artists Sean “Diddy” Combs, Nelly and Usher were performing on stage at the time.

Dupri hosted the party as part of his third annual So So Def Summerfest 2008 this weekend. According to the Web site sosodefsummerfest.com, Saturday’s events include a celebrity basketball game at Morehouse College Forbes Arena with Dupri, Nellie, rap artists Soldier Boy, comedian Chris Tucker and several NBA players taking the court.

A party Saturday night at the Woodruff Arts Center as part of Summerfest advertises a guest list that includes Dupri, Nelly, Sanaa Lathan, Gabrielle Union, Nia Long and Larenz Tate. A finale party also is scheduled Sunday at The Velvet Room on Peachtree Road.