MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WKRN) – There was scary night for tenants of a Murfreesboro apartment complex over the weekend.

According to police, a 20-year old man was attacked and shot at by a suspect who tried to rob him.

A witness told News 2 everyone was alert and on edge after the violent encounter.

“It was a real shocking night,” witness Chris Fisher said. “I heard it happening at College Grove before, but never that close. We were on high alert the rest of the night.”

But the magnitude of what happened at the College Grove Apartments late Saturday night into Sunday morning has him thinking it could have been worse.

“It was a loud and powerful gun,” Fisher said. “[The victim] said it looked like a Smith and Wesson .40 caliber handgun. His brother owns one of those guns, so he could pick it out. It could happen to anyone; that’s the one thing I got out of it.”

The victim, Dylan Valentine, told police he was walking to his apartment on the second floor of building 500 when he heard footsteps behind him.

He said the suspect grabbed him and placed him in a chokehold, but he tried to fight him off and was able to break free.

“Me and my friends were sitting on the couch enjoying our Saturday night. Basically we felt a gunshot. Heard and felt it; it shook the room,” Fisher said.

Authorities say after that shot was fired, the victim continued fighting with the suspect. They ended up rolling down the stairs down to the first floor.

The bullet was found in the wall of the laundry room of the victim’s apartment.

“The victim said he’s been shot,” the witness said. “He sat down and raised up his shirt and there was about a 7-inch graze wound on his right hip.”

The suspect ran away, but Fisher remained on his balcony the rest of the night just in case he came back.

“I’m just glad I had a rifle to protect myself up in my apartment. There are doors locked all the time now,” Fisher said.

Once police catch up with the suspect, he will be facing aggravated assault, aggravated robbery, and reckless endangerment charges.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Murfreesboro police 615-893-1311.