Click here to see updated photos from the scene of the shooting Click here to see Video: Vancouver Police discuss gang shooting Click here to see Video: Oak Street Shooting - - - VANCOUVER - The 10 people shot on Vancouver's westside early Sunday morning were attending a party at Best Neighbours restaurant for gang members and none were innocent bystanders, Vancouver police said Monday. Deputy Chief Warren Lemcke said the restaurant where the shooting occurred was hosting a private, invitation-only birthday party. "The bulk of the people at this birthday party are known to have gang connections," said Lemcke. "There were no innocent people who were struck by bullets." Lemcke said those shot were aged 20 to 36 and eight people remain in hospital with gunshot wounds. He said police currently have no suspects in custody. Police said Tuesday they will be back at the crime scene today collecting evidence and searching for more witnesses. Lemcke added the shots were fired with an assault weapon. Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson, who lives one block from the shooting, said he was awoken by the shooting and got a "sinking feeling" in his stomach. "When it happens in your own neighbourhood, it's a shock," said Robertson. Robertson said he tried calling 911 but got a busy signal. Robertson called the shooting "despicable" and said police will do everything they can to catch the people who did it. The shooting comes just one week after the RCMP issued a warning about the possibility of an increase in gang violence resulting from recent events including a high-profile murder at a Burnaby mall in October. Six men and three women were treated for gunshot wounds at hospital while a tenth victim refused treatment, McGuinness said. Five people were in custody Sunday afternoon, but have since been released. “Vancouver Police are continuing to question persons of interest,” McGuinness said, in a news release Sunday afternoon. She added that police anticipated the interviews could take several days. The Province newspaper reported four thugs from Reno, Nevada who had crashed the party attended by a number of North Vancouver Persian gangs, associated with the Independent Soldiers gang, were responsible for the shooting. But McGuinness saidMonday this information has not been confirmed by VPD. "We have not confirmed the connections or even the gang groups (believed to be involved)," said McGuinness. The four from Reno were reportedly being held by Immigration but a spokesperson said there were no people matching that description in detention, although Canada Border Services would have 48 hours to refer them to a detention review. A media spokesman from the Reno Police Department said this was the first time he has heard of a link to Reno, adding no police agencies have contacted them about the four alleged thugs. McGuinness also warned members of the public to be vigilant. The area, on the border between the Shaughnessy and South Cambie neighbourhoods, has a mix of apartments, businesses and houses. Many residents who live nearby were startled awake shortly after 2 a.m. when they heard several rounds being fired, with some estimating they heard anywhere from 10 to 20 shots.

Some of them described hearing what sounded like a machine gun and were too terrified to go out into the street to see what was happening, while others thought the shots sounded more someone was banging on trash cans. When officers arrived on the scene, they found a number of injured people in the 3800 block of Oak Street and more victims on a street a short distance away. Others turned up at local hospitals over the next hour, arriving in private vehicles, McGuinness said. A BUMP IN THE NIGHT Dave White, a reporter with News 1130 who lives across the street from the crime scene, said he was dozing off to sleep when he heard gunshots. “At first, I just brushed it off as nothing. But then, there was another, rapid succession of about eight, nine, ten more shots,” he said in an interview. “I heard screaming in the background ... (and) some guy shouted go, go, go. “I had a cold, pit feeling in my stomach,” he said, adding that he grabbed his recording equipment and ran outside, where he saw two vehicles — a red Chrysler Sebring and a white BMW SUV — speeding down Oak Street. He said he heard a house party down the street and it was very loud with people yelling and laughing. He speculated that it might have some connection because restaurants were closed at the time. Ann Oxendale, who has lived in the area for 20 years, was in her ground-level apartment watching TV when she heard shots. She and her 24-year-old son rushed to the window and saw two cars speeding off, southbound. “I heard a woman scream, or at least I thought it was a woman,” Oxendale said. “And then I saw the two cars speeding up that way, so I went to grab the phone. By then the police arrived. It happened really fast. I stayed inside because I thought I should stay out of the way.” Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson, who also lives in the area, heard the shots and called 911. “I know all of us in the area are extremely concerned about this shocking public display of gun violence. This type of brazen gang activity is unacceptable in our city,” he said. White said he saw a group of people huddled outside a nearby Subway restaurant, and a woman “moaning and groaning” in the alcove of a Best Neighbours Restaurant. Paramedics quickly loaded her into an ambulance. POLICE LOCKDOWN Police ordered a temporary lockdown of Vancouver General Hospital after the shooting, and other people seeking medical attention were re-directed to different hospitals, Vancouver Coastal Health confirmed. Spokesman Chris Freek said he did not know how long the lockdown was in place. Officers continued to guard the entrance to the hospital’s emergency department throughout Sunday morning. Two piles of clothes, including a blood-stained white T-shirt, a black Puma sneaker and torn-up jeans were on the ground behind yellow police tape at the hospital. A wallet with a driver’s license sticking out, and a BlackBerry were also visible.