Shots were fired in Mill Valley early Sunday when two men who had just stolen two cases of beer fired at a security guard pursuing their vehicle, according to the Marin County Sheriff's Office.

The men allegedly took two cases of beer from the Safeway store on Redwood Highway Frontage Road shortly before 3 a.m., according to Lt. Doug Pittman.

When store employees approached them, they fled out the front door and were seen fleeing to a gold-colored minivan waiting behind the store on Reed Boulevard, Pittman said.

A security guard called the sheriff's office to report the incident and followed the vehicle in an attempt to make out the license plate number.

As he approached the van on northbound Redwood Highway Frontage Road toward Tiburon Boulevard, however, he heard 4-5 shots being fired at him from the passenger side, Pittman said.

The security guard backed away but continued to follow as the van ran a red light and fled on to northbound U.S. Highway 101.

The van existed the freeway at Paradise Drive and drove back on southbound U.S. Highway 101 before the guard lost sight of it, Pittman said.

The minivan has a California license plate of 4DWZY. Anyone with information about the theft or the suspects should call the Marin County Sheriff's Office at (415) 473-7265, or the multilingual Bay Area Crime Stoppers hotline at (800) 222-8477.