A man was shot Tuesday night in downtown Chattanooga in a possible robbery attempt, police said.

Alexander Morales, 26, was shot just before 8 p.m. at 1500 Broad St., Chattanooga Police spokeswoman Sgt. Jerri Weary said.

Morales told police he had taken trash to the dumpster and was walking back to Carniceria Loa when two black males approached him, Weary said.

One of the men struck him in the face with a gun, knocking him to the ground. The same suspect then shot Morales in the hand when he was trying to get up. Morales went into the business and called police, but the suspects fled in an unknown direction, Weary said.

Nothing was stolen from Morales, but police believe the incident may have been a robbery attempt, Weary said.

Morales described the shooter as a black male wearing blue jeans, a dark sweatshirt and a mask over his face. He did not give a description of the second suspect, Weary said.