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Two people have died after a hostage taking and standoff with police in Surrey city centre on Friday.

B.C.’s civilian police watchdog the Independent Investigations Office (IIO) says the victims were a man and a woman who knew each other, but that it has not yet determined how they died.

“We’re still trying to determine what caused his injuries. They also found a female who also suffered from injuries. Both of those people were taken to hospital and both unfortunately have now been pronounced deceased,” said IIO chief civilian director Ron MacDonald.

WATCH: Video shows ERT takedown at the scene of Surrey hostage

0:39 Video shows ERT take down at scene of Surrey hostage taking Video shows ERT take down at scene of Surrey hostage taking

“We’re not sure if the female was killed by shots. We’re still trying to determine what caused her injuries and what led to her death. We do know that police took shots, but we don’t know if they’re the ones that caused injuries to the male.”

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WATCH: Ron MacDonald from the IIO answers questions about the hostage situation in North Surrey.

8:45 IIO announce two people killed in North Surrey hostage situation IIO announce two people killed in North Surrey hostage situation

Surrey RCMP says the male victim sustained a fatal gunshot wound and died at the scene.

Police, including the Lower Mainland Emergency Response Team (ERT), were called to the home at the end of a cul-de-sac near 132Ard Street and 100A Avenue around 9:30 p.m. on Thursday night, according to the RCMP.

Up to two dozen police vehicles, including an armoured vehicle, responded to the scene.

Police attempted unsuccessfully to negotiate with the man inside throughout the night.

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Around 7:30 a.m. the ERT breached the home and “a confrontation with the barricaded male ensued” according to police, which ended with an exchange of gunfire.

#BREAKING: We can hear yelling and what sounds like an exchange of gunfire coming from a residential home in #Surrey, that is currently surrounded by @SurreyRCMP officers. We have been told it is not safe for our @GlobalBC crew to be where we’re currently stationed. pic.twitter.com/mGQZUy5z6i — Sarah MacDonald (@smacdonald__) March 29, 2019

Video from the Global 1 helicopter showed four ambulances arrive at the scene as members of the ERT and paramedics performed CPR on one person they had carried out of the home.

Two men identifying themselves as the sons of a woman inside the home told Global News they believed her boyfriend was keeping her hostage, and that they had not been able to reach her since Thursday night.

WATCH: Sarah MacDonald reports live from the scene of the hostage situation in Surrey Friday morning

1:42 Two people dead after Surrey hostage taking Two people dead after Surrey hostage taking

Neighbour Kim Davies said the incident had everyone on edge.

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“It’s scary. I’m lucky my kids are older, my youngest are 19-year-old twins,” she said.

READ MORE: Police standoff in Surrey ends peacefully

“But we have got a lot of kids around here; we’ve got a school here, we have got playgrounds.”

Coun. Jack Hundial said between this incident and the deaths of three people in a car crash on Tuesday, it’s been a “gut-wrenching” week for Surrey.

“When there’s a tragedy such as this, it impacts people,” Hundial said. “It gives a black eye all around for our society.

“Certainly it’s easy to point the finger and say, ‘If it happens in Surrey it’s not a big deal,’ but let’s not forget our communities are very interconnected,” he added.

RCMP say road closures in the area will be in effect for a significant amount of time.

—With files from Janet Brown