Two people shot outside New Jersey hip-hop concert

Authorities attend to people following a shooting late Monday outside the PNC Bank Arts Center. (AP)

New Jersey State Police said that two people were shot and wounded outside a hip-hop concert late Monday by a suspect who is still at large.

The shooting was reported at approximately 11:15 p.m. local time outside the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, in central New Jersey. Authorities said the two wounded victims were airlifted to area hospitals and are in critical condition.

Hip hop artists J. Cole and Big Sean had been performing at the venue. The pair are scheduled to perform at New York's Madison Square Garden Tuesday night. WPIX reported that the shooting took place while the concert was going on inside.

State police said a fled into the woods nearby and a search was underway early Tuesday.

Omayma Bougdour told the New York Daily News that the shooting was sparked by an argument that broke out in the parking lot.

"Everyone started sprinting and stampeding," she told the paper. She added that one of the injured men was "not responsive" when he was being attended to by paramedics, while the other was breathing heavily and asking for water.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.