Sheriff's deputies responded about 8:20 p.m. to a report of a possibly deceased person in the 23500 block of Sunnymead Ranch Parkway, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.
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The shooting victims were pronounced dead outside a Jack in the Box. Investigators towed a silver car from the scene to examine it for evidence.
The deceased man was not publicly identified, pending notification of family. His 17-year-old brother's name will not be released due to his age, authorities said.
One eyewitness who did not wish to be identified said he was in the parking lot at the time of the shooting and couldn't be sure who shot at the brothers.
"There was no other cars behind us except us here," he said. "They were just talking there." He said he didn't see anyone running away from the scene. "I'm still shaken up," he said.
Moreno Valley resident Crystal Lilly was disturbed by the news.
"I have sons -- I have sons that age, and that's heart-crushing because that means some mom or dad is upset right now that their child is never going to come back home," she said.
No one was in custody in the case, and a description of the shooter was not available.
"There are cameras 360 degrees around this building, and so they may provide details that will help us solve the crime," said Deputy Mike Vasquez.
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Crime is not unheard of in this area, but the bold nature of the shooting in a busy parking lot had authorities especially concerned.
"It's one of those things that's tragic," Vasquez said. "It's out in public, there's passersby, there's individuals here, patrons at the business, and it's one of things -- (it's) a brazen shooting."
The scene was also just a few blocks from a high school, which makes Lilly worried for her own kids.
"I just tell them to be safe and be choosy about who you hang around, be aware of your surroundings at all times because you never know what could happen,'" she said.
Anyone with information about the killings is asked to call sheriff's Detective Mullins of the Central Homicide Unit at (951) 955-2777 or Detective Vanderhoof of Moreno Valley Police Department at (951) 486-6700.