A Brooklyn lounge shooting claimed three lives and injured eight, police reported

Authorities say gunfire erupted inside a packed Brooklyn hookah lounge and restaurant early Sunday, leaving three people dead and eight others injured after several shooters opened fire.

Officers were called to the Taste of the City lounge in Crown Heights shortly before 3:30 a.m. following reports of shots fired.

Based on the initial findings of an ongoing investigation, police believe the violence may have been gang-related.

The three victims who died—men ages 19, 27, and 35—were pronounced dead at the scene. Friends identified the 35-year-old as Jamel Andre Childs, who was reportedly killed while attempting to break up a fight that took place just before the shooting erupted.

Police recovered a firearm near the scene and are working to determine whether it is connected to the incident.