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Four Men, White Dodge Sought After Oakland Club Killings

OAKLAND (CBS SF) - Oakland police are looking for four suspects in connection with a shooting at a bar and restaurant near Jack London Square early Sunday morning that left two men dead and four other people wounded.

Police described the suspects in the shooting at Sweet Jimmie's at 311 Broadway at 12:42 a.m. as four black males in their late teens or early 20s who were driving a four-door, white Dodge Avenger.

Police said their investigation into the shooting is ongoing and the motive is unknown.

KCBS' Dave Padilla Reports:

The two male victims were pronounced dead at the scene, two other male victims sustained life-threatening injuries and remain in critical condition and two females sustained non-life-threatening injuries, according to police.

There were several yellow police markings on the ground Monday outside Sweet Jimmie's, which is located between Second and Third streets.

KCBS' Bob Melrose Reports:

The bar and restaurant also has a cracked window that apparently was caused by a gunshot.

A second shooting occurred about 2:10 a.m., when a man was shot in the 200 block of Clay Street, which is only two blocks away from Sweet Jimmie's.

The victim was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

Oakland Mayor Jean Quan said in a prepared statement that shootings in downtown Oakland "are a rare occurrence" and crime in the city is down by 12 percent compared to this time last year.

However, Quan admitted the number of homicides has increased, saying she and police Chief Anthony Batts "continue to focus our efforts on the increase in homicides and shootings since the first of the year."

Quan wouldn't comment on the specific details of the shootings but she said, "I assure you that it is a high priority and the Police Department will schedule increased patrols in the area as they continue to investigate the circumstances."

There has been a history of violence at nightclubs near Jack London Square.

In November 2006, a 30-year-old pregnant woman was shot and killed in the 200 block of Webster Street after she and her boyfriend and other friends had left Mingles, which was located nearby at 370 Embarcadero and featured hip-hop music.

Police said the woman was an innocent victim who was caught in the crossfire of two rival groups who shot at each other following an altercation inside the club.

The owner of Mingles, which had been the subject of numerous complaints, shut down the club after the woman was killed.

Sweet Jimmie's is the second version of the Sweet Jimmie's restaurant that was opened by "Sweet Jimmie" Ward in 1987 at 577 18th St. in downtown Oakland but closed in 2006 after there were complaints about violence outside the club.

Ward died last year.

(Copyright 2011 by CBSSan Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services may have contributed to this report.)

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