HONG KONG, March 13 -- Hong Kong's police have launched a manhunt for a gunman who shot a salesman and got away with 5.5 million HK dollars worth of watches in Hong Kong's Tsim Sha Tsui Area.

The injured salesman was sent to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Thursday night and was still fighting for his life on Friday morning.

According to the police, the suspect entered one watch and jewelry shop on Perking Road at around 10 p.m. local time on Thursday night. He requested to see a selection of nine luxury watches, but suddenly shot a staff member in the left chest and got away with the nine watches.

Police are now searching for the suspected robber, described by one source as being about 1.6 metres tall, well-dressed, in a silver grey suit and wearing a surgical mask on his face.

Staff said the suspect had visited the shop twice on Thursday afternoon, and had appeared suspicious.