It happened about 10:30 in the 3000 block of Curran Avenue. The confrontation ended in the deaths of two suspects and the arrest of a third suspect.
Oakland police are not making any on-camera statements about this case and releasing very little information. Meantime, the family of one of those killed last night told ABC7 they need many more answers.
"This don't make no sense. I don't understand it. They didn't have to kill my baby like that," said Mary Cobb-Jackson.
Cobb-Jackson clutches a picture of her son as a young boy, trying to come to grips with the fact that he was shot and killed by Oakland police less than 24 hours ago.
"I just wanted some justice. I just want to know what happened. How did he just get shot down like that? He didn't have no gun or nothing on him and this don't make no sense. They say they found the guns on the roof. How could you find guns on the roof? How could he be shooting and the gun is on the roof?" said Cobb-Jackson.
Police released a statement saying Fletcher "Antoine" Jackson and his unidentified companion both emerged from a car with weapons and confronted police. That's when police say they had to use deadly force.
"I just heard boom, boom, boom, boom, boom," said Orlindale Carraway.
Carraway lives in the house near where Jackson and the other man were shot. Police say they recovered two weapons from the scene. Witnesses claim the weapons were found on a rooftop wrapped in a cloth.
"No guns on either one of them, neither one of the guys. The only people who had guns were the police and they had guns to kill, rifles," said Carraway.
In a press release, Oakland police explained they had received a tip that a violent crime was going to take place along the 3000 block of Curran Avenue. When officers attempted to stop the vehicle, that's when gunfire erupted. Jackson was shot in the side, possibly while still inside the car.
"You all done shot him the car, the glass and everything was right there," said Margie Turner, Jackson's Aunt.
Turner says her 30-year-old nephew was on parole for non-violent offenses.
"Something has to be done about this. You can't keep on paying these folks who are supposed to be protecting us and they're killing us. It's not right," said Turner.
"We got to watch out for Oakland police. It's crazy out here. The police, man, they're not helping us, they're killing us," said Carraway.
Thursday afternoon, police confirm that federal investigators were on the scene shortly after the shooting, but they would not say what role, if any, the feds had in the events leading up to the shooting.
Earlier on Thursday, ABC7 interviewed other witnesses in the neighborhood. Remesha Dorsey says she heard shots in front of her house with her 18-month and 11-year-old children inside.
"I grabbed the baby and went for my other son to make sure that he was okay in his bed," said Dorsey.
A witness, who did not want to be identified, heard some of the weapons fire off.
"Six to seven shots from at least two different calibers of guns and I hit the floor immediately because it was right close to my door, right close to my window," said the witness.
Thursday morning police removed a vehicle from the scene -- a vehicle with its right rear window blown out. It was just a hint of the violent scene out here Wednesday night, witnessed by Dorsey.
"Then I came out of my front door and saw him in my grass shot in the head. It looked like he was shot in the head," said Dorsey.
There was another body in her driveway. Dorsey says she didn't know either man. She is upset her children had to experience it.
"Frustrated my 11-year-old had to see it and just kind of nervous to come out," said Dorsey.
One of the neighbors who has been living in the area for two years said except for three nights ago when he heard some gunfire, it is a very peaceful neighborhood.
