var _ndnq = _ndnq || []; _ndnq.push([’embed’]);

SAN JOSE — Police remain on the hunt for suspects responsible for a gangland-style shooting inside an East San Jose taqueria Thursday night that killed two men and injured another as they ate, authorities said.

The homicides were the first and second of the year and come on the heels of a particularly bloody 2016 that saw a 25-year high in killings and a violent crime rate that surged by nearly 15 percent.

The shooting was reported about 7:45 p.m. at La Mejor Taqueria at 2003 Story Road near South Sunset Avenue.

Officers found three men suffering from gunshot wounds, Lt. Eduardo Pedreira said. Two were pronounced dead at the scene and a third was rushed to a hospital, where he was listed in stable condition Friday.

“We have multiple shots that were fired at the scene, which resulted in three victims being struck by at least one round each,” Pedreira said.

Homicide investigators on Friday confirmed witness reports that unidentified suspects walked into the restaurant and opened fire on the three victims as they sat to eat a meal. Witnesses said the suspects were then seen driving away in an unidentified vehicle.

Additional information about the case, including the victim identities, were not released Friday. No suspects have been arrested or identified.

Reading this on your iPhone or iPad? Check out our new Apple News app channel here.

“Pieces of the puzzle are still getting put together and it’s an active scene,” Pedreira said. “We’re actively working it and we will put out more information as time permits and as we get it.”

Last year, the city recorded 47 homicides, the most since 1991, when 53 people were killed, though the population was 20 percent smaller back then. Also in 2016, violent crimes across the board — aggravated assaults, robberies and rapes — all saw increases, producing a total that has not been seen in over a decade.

No official motive has been announced, but the area where Thursday’s shooting occurred has historically been deemed a hotspot for gang activity and tensions by the police department. Gang violence, which accounted for eight homicides last year, is a focal point of the city’s patrol forces.

“We can saturate hot-spot areas that help bring the temperature down in those areas,” Chief Eddie Garcia said in an interview with this newspaper last month.

Anyone with information about the case can contact Detective Sgt. Paul Hamblin or Detective Jason Tanner at 408-277-5283, or leave a tip with Silicon Valley Crime Stoppers at 408-947-STOP or svcrimestoppers.org.