HONG KONG, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- One rioter was shot in the shoulder on Tuesday when he assaulted a police officer, police of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) said.

The black-clad man was among a large number of rioters attacking police in Tsuen Wan at about 4 p.m. local time. Their violence continued despite warnings from police officers.

"The police officers' lives were under serious threat," said a police spokeswoman. The police officer shot the man to save his colleague and himself, she said.

The rioter was confirmed as an 18-year-old man, who was wounded in the left shoulder. TV footage showed him wielding an iron club against a police officer before being shot.

He was rushed to the Princess Margaret Hospital "in a conscious state," said the spokeswoman. The man's life is not in danger now.

Photo taken on Oct. 1, 2019 shows uniform of police officers damaged by corrosive liquid in south China's Hong Kong (Photo released on the official Facebook account of Hong Kong police force @HongKongPoliceForce)

The police spokeswoman said that violence on Tuesday has left many people injured in Hong Kong, while mobsters set fires and damaged properties.

Police urged rioters to stop their unlawful acts.

They also advised Hong Kong residents to refrain from going out and urged those outdoors to return home as soon as possible.