Less than 24 hours after the Chattanooga Police Department officially unveiled new urban assault rifles — meant to better equip officers against criminals who use high-powered weapons — a man was shot with an SKS assault rifle.

Robert Douglas Jr., 28, was shot in the head and back while walking to his girlfriend’s house shortly before 2 a.m. Thursday in the 1700 block of Hardy Street. After being struck twice, Mr. Douglas made it to the front door where he collapsed and was found by officers, Chattanooga Police Department spokeswoman Sgt. Jerri Weary said.

Mr. Douglas, who told police he didn’t know who shot him, was taken to Erlanger hospital, where he was listed in fair condition early Thursday. Erlanger personnel said they had no information about his condition Thursday afternoon.

Residents in the area said they saw two men running in the area with weapons — one with a gun and one with an assault rifle. An SKS assault rifle was found near the scene, Sgt. Weary said.

Mr. Douglas is from the Brainerd area but was staying in the Harriet Tubman public housing development, said Lt. Tim Carroll, head of the department’s major crimes division.

“It’s got (indications) of gang activity,” he said. “Apparently somebody didn’t want him down there.”

Patrol officers responded to numerous false reports of disorder and people with guns in the city from 11 p.m. Wednesday until Thursday’s shooting, though police are unsure whether any of the calls are related to the shooting, Lt. Carroll said.

The police department bought 250 urban assault rifles with federal money, in part to combat people on the streets who wield assault rifles such as AK-47s and SKSs, officials said earlier this week.

“It allows us to get our officers on an even footing with the people they deal with on the streets,” Deputy Chief Mark Rawlston told the Times Free Press. “I do not want to ask my officers to go into an active shooter situation and take on a person armed with an assault rifle and my officers have a handgun. I don’t want my officers to be at a disadvantage.”

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