A sound of gunfire sent people running on Thursday evening at a restaurant in the capital Washington DC. 

The shooting had taken place at roughly 8:20 p.m. about a shooting, which took place around 14th Street and Riggs Street NW, DC Metropolitan Police Department said.

Two men, who were shot, are conscious and breathing, the police said. One of them was hot in the arm and the other in the chest.

Journalists shared tweets and videos of restaurant customers and passersby scrambling and ducking for cover in response to the sound of gunshots.

"Shooting at the intersection of 14th / Riggs Street, NW. Lookout is for a B/M male wearing a lime green/yellow hooded sweater fleeing in an older black Honda Civic with DC Tags last seen eastbound towards S Street, NW," D.C. police tweeted at 9:14 PM.

"Just now on 14th and R street in DC: 20-30 gunshots, sending people seated at many restaurants running," tweeted HuffPo reporter Igor Bobic.

He also noted a "heavy smell of gunpowder."