— Two men died early Friday in Fayetteville after they were involved in “an exchange of gunfire” during a home invasion, police said.

Fayetteville police had been searching for clues after officers were called to two separate emergencies before dawn.

The first was at 3:37 a.m., when they received a call about a home invasion at a house in the 7500 block of Levi Road in west Fayetteville. Officers canvassed the neighborhood and found a man with a gunshot wound on nearby Martha Court.

The man, whose name was not released, was taken to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, where he died.

About two hours later, officers were called to the 5400 block of South Sumac Circle, off Hope Mills Road, about nine miles away from the first crime scene. They found a man lying next to the street, dead from a gunshot wound. He was later identified as Xavier White, 20.

Investigators determined both men were involved in the home invasion and there was an exchange of gunfire “during an encounter with the victim.” It was not clear whether the deceased men shot each other or were shot by someone else.

Police said a man and woman who live at the Levi Road home were unhurt.

Vanessa Martinez, who lives across the street from where White’s body was found, was taking her 13-year-old son to the bus stop when she saw police.

"To wake up first thing in the morning and that's the first thing you see, that's frightening," she said. "You know, it made me emotional."

Anyone with information on the shootings should call the Fayetteville Police Department at 910-433-1856 or Crime Stoppers at 910-483-8477.