A harrowing bout of gunfire injured seven men Monday night in East Oakland. The shootings started at 96th Avenue and Olive Street about 6:10 p.m. and extended three blocks. The melee reportedly began at a birthday barbecue party.

Oakland Tribune has more:

Seven men -- all between the ages of 23 and 31 -- were shot between the two crime scenes, officials said. Two of the men were in critical condition Monday night; five others were expected to survive.

It was unknown if any of the men were related or what motivated the shooting.

Some of the victims were taken to Highland Hospital while others were transported to Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley, officials said.

One man was shot while walking down the street with children. Kids looked on as blood poured from the victim's neck.

An unidentified witness who watched the shooting unfold described a chaotic scene in which one man was shot in the neck while walking down the street with children. The children looked on as blood began shooting from the man's neck while other victims fell to the ground between parked cars.

The witness expressed outrage that such a violent display could happen in the neighborhood three days before Thanksgiving, as well as disdain over what she deemed to be police's inability to make a dent in street violence.

Two of the men are in critical condition, while the other five are expected to survive.

No arrests have been made.

[Oakland Tribune]
[CNN]