In one of the worst acts of violence to ever hit Vancouver, two people were killed and six injured in a brazen early-morning shooting spree inside a Chinese restaurant.

Two masked gunmen opened fire inside the Fortune Happiness restaurant, apparently targeting a table where the eight victims were seated.

Witnesses said one of the shooters entered from the front, and the other from the back. When the shooting had stopped, two people lay dead while one of the injured was critically hurt.

"This is one of the most heinous (shootings) we've ever come across," said, Dep. Const. Bob Rich. "But it fits with the kind of proliferation of weapons in our city."

The two slain men were aged 19 and 26 and known to police, but none of the victims have been named. Four of the injured were women.

Police believe the shooting may have been gang related.

"All of the people that were shot were sitting at one table," Const. Howard Chow said. "The early part of the investigation is telling us this was not a random attack."

The shooting happened at 4:30 a.m. local time. No one has been arrested and police have no leads. But surveillance footage may have caught the shooting.

"The suspects took off, they are still at large," Chow told CTV.ca.

At an afternoon press conference, Rich said guns and gangs have become a serious issue in Vancouver.

He said police seize about a gun a day and that the weapons they're confiscating are of higher quality than in the past. But he added that he still considers Vancouver a safe city and the number of shots fired this year is less than half what it was last year.

CTV British Columbia reported that one of the gunmen was carrying a .40-calibre weapon while another was holding a nine-millimetre firearm.

Police described the shooting scene as a chaotic one, with tables overturned and bullet holes riddling the entire restaurant.

The late-night restaurant is located at 654 Broadway East just west of Fraser Street.

CTV British Columbia's Kate Gajdosik said there are eyewitness reports that one of the shooters entered from the back of the restaurant, while the other came in from the front.

Bullet holes were visible in the front window of the restaurant, which is located in a quiet neighbourhood not known to be especially dangerous.

With reports from CTV British Columbia