WASHINGTON (AFP) - Police in Texas said Sunday they were seeking a person of interest in an overnight shooting that killed a young woman and wounded four other people.

The Austin Police Department said it was seeking Endicott McCray, a slender 24-year-old black man.

Police across the country, and especially in Texas, remain on edge after a rash of shootings, including one on July 7 in Dallas which saw five officers killed by a black extremist.

The incident in Austin began shortly after 2.15am (3.15pm Singapore time) in an area filled with bars and nightclubs.

Police warned people to avoid the area, tweeting: "Active shooter incident downtown, multiple victims. Stay away from downtown." A woman in her 20s was killed, authorities said. They have not named any of the victims, three of whom were treated at a hospital while the fourth was treated at the scene and released.

It was unclear whether the shooter knew any of the victims.

At a press conference broadcast via Periscope, Austin Police Chief of Staff Brian Manley said that when officers arrived they found "a very chaotic scene".

There appeared to have been a disturbance during which an individual pulled out a gun and fired into a crowd, he said.

A second shooting nearby was apparently unrelated. No one was hurt.

Sam Vedamanikam, 26, told the Austin American-Statesman newspaper that he and several friends were leaving a dance club when they heard four or five gunshots.

"There were just tons of people on Sixth Street and I see all of them jump toward the ground," Vedamanikam said. "A lot of people were screaming."