Two adult men were shot to death in a gun battle outside a New Year’s Eve party east of Renton early Thursday morning, according to the King County Sheriff’s Office.

The men’s names will be released once the King County Medical Examiner’s Office performs an autopsy, expected Friday.

The shooting occurred at about 3:30 a.m. in the 11500 block of 161st Avenue Southeast in the May Valley area.

Some of the partygoers “took offense” when they were asked to leave; at least one of them pulled out a gun, according to Sgt. DB Gates, a spokeswoman for the Sheriff’s Office.

In turn someone associated with the homeowners or possibly renters pulled a gun and numerous shots were exchanged outside the home, according to Gates.

“That road was pretty well littered with those evidence placards,” Gates said of the placards that mark bullet strikes or spent shells.

Dead are one of the men asked to leave and one of the men associated with the homeowner.

A third person who also had a gun reported that someone was firing from another location, too, according to Gates. He exchanged gunfire with them, then they left.

About 20 people attended the party; detectives were sorting through their witness accounts and the guns.

Ballistics testing “is going to be huge in this case,” Gates said, to determine which guns fired the fatal shots. Detectives can link guns to three of the four people known to have fired rounds, she said.

“Ballistics testing can take awhile,” Gates said.

Once the investigation is complete, someone could face charges, according to Gates, other than the two deceased men.  Detectives will need to determine whether any shots were fired in self-defense.

At least two vehicles parked outside where hit by gunfire.