Six people were shot Wednesday evening, two of them fatally, in a shootout between the staff at an East Oakland pawn shop and five armed suspects attempting to rob the place, according to police.

The incident took place around 7:45 pm Wednesday inside Eddy Oakland Cash 4 Gold on the 7100 block of International Boulevard.

According to Oakland police, two employees pressed a silent alarm button when five armed suspects stormed the shop, and the shop owner, along with the two employees, engaged in a shoout out with the suspects.

Police arrived on the scene within minutes and found six people with gunshot wounds, as KRON4 reports. One of the robbery suspects died at the scene, and another later died at the hospital.

One of the store employees was unharmed, but the owner and another employee were both injured.

As KTVU reports, via a friend of the shop owner, he is expected to survive, and the injured employee suffered a non-life-threatening injury.

Police say that they recovered multiple shell casings and several weapons at the scene.

The Oakland Police Department was planning a press conference about the incident later on Thursday.

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee said in a statement that she was aware and "deeply frustrated" by the news, and noted the suspects came from outside Oakland.

"Last night's attempted robbery at the Cash 4 Gold store by suspects from outside Oakland that resulted in two deaths and four injuries is tragic, unacceptable and outrageous," Mayor Lee said. "Oakland Police have confirmed that all five suspects involved in this incident were from outside our city. While this tragic event highlights the broader regional challenges we face, it also underscores our commitment to protecting Oakland's residents, workers, and business owners who deserve to be safe and feel safe in their own community."

Lee added, "We remain committed to our public safety investments and working around the clock with law enforcement and community partners.”

An investigation is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact OPD’s Homicide Section at 510-238-3821 or call the tip line at 510-238-7950.

Photo via Citizen app