A shooting in a Seattle parking lot on Friday night wounded five people, including two who were in critical condition, the city's police chief said.

The Seattle Police Department responded to a reported shooting around 9 pm in the 9200 block of Rainier Avenue South.

The shooting started in the parking lot of what was formerly known as King Donuts and was directed at a community event occurring nearby, Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz said at the scene.

The five victims included two who were listed in critical condition and three who appeared to be stable. Four victims were transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle and the fifth was treated at the scene, Diaz said.

“We know that there's dozens and dozens of rounds that were fired,” said Diaz, who noted police were not sure of a possible motive.

“Right now, we've really got to get guns off the streets,” Diaz said, explaining the number of shootings in the city has fluctuated but remains an issue.

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell thanked community members and police at the scene for working together to protect residents, calling the violence a tragedy.

“These community leaders are putting literally their lives on the line to protect their own community,” Harrell said. “But you see what we're trying to build here in Seattle with these fine officers working with these fine community leaders, trying to protect their babies here, trying to protect our youth."