Police shoot man brandishing assault rifle outside Houston night club

Houston Police investigates the scene where two off-duty officers shot a man who pointed a riffle toward them after not following commands to drop the gun outside the Faces Ultra Lounge Wednesday, May 17, 2017, in Houston. The officers were working security at the night club. less Houston Police investigates the scene where two off-duty officers shot a man who pointed a riffle toward them after not following commands to drop the gun outside the Faces Ultra Lounge Wednesday, May 17, 2017, ... more Photo: Godofredo A. Vasquez, Houston Chronicle Photo: Godofredo A. Vasquez, Houston Chronicle Image 1 of / 30 Caption Close Police shoot man brandishing assault rifle outside Houston night club 1 / 30 Back to Gallery

A man is in critical condition after Houston police officers shot him outside a night club in the Museum District early Wednesday morning.

Two off-duty officers were working security at the club in the 5100 block of Almeda when patrons told them around 2 a.m. that there was a fight in the parking lot, said Troy Finner, an executive assistant chief with the Houston Police Department.

The officers went to the parking lot where they saw a man in his early 30s brandishing an assault rifle, said Finner, who oversees all HPD field operations and reports directly to Chief Art Acevedo.

Officers repeatedly told the man to drop the rifle, Finner said. He did not and instead pointed the firearm in their direction.

The officers fired multiple times, injuring the suspect. Last check, he was in surgery and is listed in critical condition. HPD spokesman Victor Senties said about 9 a.m. that police do not yet have an update on his condition.

The two officers were not wounded. They were Nathaniel Jones, who has been on the force for 8 years, and Anthony Ruben, who has been with HPD for 5 years. Both serve in the department's northeast patrol division.

It was unclear immediately after the shooting if the man's rifle was loaded. Some witnesses said he fired the gun before the police officers reached the parking lot, but police have not confirmed that.

Police detained several people at the scene and interviewed multiple witnesses, but Finner did not detail how many. Senties emphasized that since the incident happened in a crowded parking lot, investigators needed to interview many people who might have seen something.

As is standard whenever HPD officers fire their weapons, Jones and Ruben will be placed on administrative leave for at least three days as the department investigates into the incident along with the Harris County District Attorney's Office.

"It's a dangerous job out here," Finner told reporters early Wednesday. "We are proud of the officers and the way they performed. When everybody's asleep, they are out here making our streets safe, and I'm proud of that. But at the end of the day you have the family too. ... So I want you to pray for this family and hope that this guy makes it through."