A video dubbed the "Qiqihaer Tangrenjie Street Murder" went viral in the Qiqihaer city last week, police said in a statement.
The video, published at a video-sharing website, showed a man shot and falling to the ground by another who demanded he pay debts, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
It was found to have been made and posted online by three nightclub actors "who want to gain attention and become popular on the internet," police said.
Spreading false information that may cause public alarm in China is a crime, punishable by a prison sentence of up to five years.
