SHENZHEN, Guangdong - Dongguan Public Security Bureau confirmed at midnight on Tuesday that Shenzhen police officers shot a taxi driver by mistake on Monday night outside a nightclub in Dongguan, Guangdong province.

Armed police officers on guard inside Chuanqi Nightclub in Dongguan, Guangdong province, on Tuesday. Shenzhen police were attacked at the club when they were chasing a suspect. Provided to China Daily

According to the website of Dongguan Public Security Bureau, Shenzhen police and assistant police officers came to a nightclub in Chang'an county, Dongguan to arrest someone believed to be a member of a gang. There they encountered some of the club's hired bodyguards, who assaulted the officers with knives, injuring six.

At this time, police fired a shot into the air to deter the attackers, but the group continued to advance. When the officers finally opened fire on the assailants in self-defense, a stray round struck a nearby taxi driver in the stomach. The man was taken to the hospital, where he died later of his injuries.

The notice also said Dongguan police arrived after being informed and helped Shenzhen police control the scene. They took away 38 criminal suspects, of which two were placed in criminal detention, and 36 drug addicts were sent to administrative detention. The investigation is in progress.

At press time, China Daily was unable to get a comment from an official with Dongguan Public Security Bureau.

On Tuesday afternoon, Nanfang Daily's website reported that the incident happened in Chuanqi Nightclub at the junction of Wusha Avenue and Zhen'an Road in Chang'an county.

The paper quoted taxi driver Yan Xiaobo, an eyewitness, who said 30 to 40 policemen in bullet-proof uniforms and steel helmets got off a police bus at about 10:50 pm and rushed into the nightclub. Five minutes later they retreated, and there were people chasing them with knives and clubs in hand. Then a police officer fired his gun into the air, and later fired three or four shots back in the direction of the club.

Yan said that Luo Lijun, the driver who was killed, was watching the scene while standing in the area where the officer had fired. Yan realized that Luo was shot after seeing him clutch his stomach and make his way toward the front of his parked cab, where he collapsed.

According to the paper, Yan called emergency assistance, which was slow to arrive, so Yan carried Luo to his car with the aid of another person and brought him to Wusha People's Hospital.

Since the hospital did not have the proper equipment to treat a gunshot wound, Luo was transferred to Chang'an People's Hospital after being administered painkillers.

The paper reported that Luo died on Tuesday morning despite hours of rescue attempts.