HOUSTON (AP) — Five people were wounded early Sunday when a man started shooting inside a packed after-hours nightclub in Houston, police said.
Before the shooting, two men started to get into a fight in the club’s parking lot at around 4:30 a.m. when one of the men pulled out a gun, said Houston Police Executive Assistant Chief Ban Tien.
The man with the gun was convinced to put it away and the other man and his friends went into the illegal southeast Houston club, Tien said.
However, the armed man followed the others in the club and started firing.
The shooting wounded the man who was initially confronted outside, along with four others. Some of the wounded were innocent bystanders, Tien said. Two people are in critical condition while the other three have non-life-threatening injuries, police said.
Police were still looking for the gunman on Sunday.
Officers had been investigating a separate case close to the club when a group of people ran outside yelling about shots being fired.
“Fortunately, our officer was nearby and was flagged down, was able to approach the scene to make it safe, and the most important thing is to provide … critical first aid and life-saving measure to one of the victims,” Tien said. “It appears all of them will survive.”
Clubs like the one where the shooting happened violate the law because they often operate without a liquor license or serve alcohol past 2 a.m.