Police released surveillance video of two men who they say pistol-whipped and shot an Iraq War Veteran during an attempted carjacking in one of the city’s most popular neighborhoods.

"This is unusual," said Philadelphia Police Capt. George Fuchs. "This is a nice area... people come down here to have fun and we don't really get a lot of reports of shootings down in this area, it's a well protected area."

The 33-year-old victim says he left Blurr Nightclub around 1:45 a.m. near 2nd and Walnut Streets in Philadelphia's Society Hill neighborhood. As he walked towards his Jeep Wrangler, the man says he was approached by two armed men wearing hoodies.

According to Philadelphia Police the men demanded that the victim turn over the keys just as he was opening the door to the Jeep.

"He thought right away, 'No, I need to get out of here, I'm done. They're going to kill me.'" said the victim's mother, who did not want to be identified.

As he tried to get away, police say the gunmen chased after him, pistol-whipped him and then shot him.

"There was like blood all over the place," said Fuchs. "He did break free from them finally and he ran probably like a half a block down Walnut and he was shot in the back."

Despite having grabbed the man’s keys, the attackers ran off instead of taking the Jeep. Police say they fled west on the 200 block of Walnut Street.

The man remained hospitalized, upgraded from critical condition late Monday morning. The victim told NBC10 as well as his family that he forgives the men but wants them caught.

"He turned around and said he felt sorry for the two young men because they will get caught," said the victim's mother. "Because this was not the first time and it won't be the last."

Police released surveillance video of the two suspects. The first suspect is described as a man standing between 5-foot-8 and 5-foot-10 and weighing between 150 and 160 pounds. Police say he was wearing a dark-colored hooded sweatshirt, dark pants and was armed with a handgun.

Police describe the second suspect as a man standing between 5-foot-8 and 5-foot 10 and weighing between 150 and 160 pounds. He was last seen wearing a light-colored hooded sweatshirt and dark-colored pants. Police say he was also armed with a handgun.

If you have any information on the whereabouts of the suspects, please call Philadelphia Police.