Road-rage shootout leaves 2 motorists dead as gunfire erupts in front of children

Two men are dead in San Bernardino County after an incident that began with a hit-and-run ended in a fatal shooting — with two young children as witnesses — authorities said.

Jonathan McConnell was splitting lanes on his motorcycle on the 210 Freeway on Saturday when he hit a sedan carrying Aaron Harris and his two children, ages 2 and 5, the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department said in a news release .

McConnell, 38, got off the freeway — followed by Harris — according to the department.

The motorcyclist drove to Joy's Lounge, a bar in the city of Highland. He stopped in the parking lot, where there were some people he knew, deputies said.

Harris, with children in tow, pulled into the lot, where the 37-year-old stopped his car and, according to authorities, began shouting threats at McConnell.

When McConnell approached his car, the department said, Harris fired a gun. McConnell returned fire. They were found by deputies with gunshot wounds and brought to the hospital, where both men died.

The children were not physically harmed, but a man at the scene was shot in the hand, deputies said.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times .