A 19-year-old city man was wounded during a robbery attempt Sunday morning on Auburn Street – less than seven hours after a 45-year-old was shot on East 23rd Street, according to the Paterson Police Department.

The victim was shot in the leg after he attempted to escape a robbery attempt made by two gunmen who approached him on Auburn Street between Hamilton and 12th avenues at around 9 a.m. on Sunday, police said.

Police said the victim just exited a residence in the neighborhood and was entering his vehicle when the two gunmen approached.

“As the victim was seated in the driver seat, he was approached by two males, one of whom was armed with a handgun. At that time the suspects made a verbal demand for the victim’s property,” Patrick Murray, head of the Ceasefire Unit, said. “The vehicle attempted to get out of the area by quickly backing the vehicle northbound on Auburn Street, at which time the armed subject fired into the vehicle striking the victim before both suspects fled the area on foot.”

The victim sustained a gunshot wound to the lower leg, Murray said. An acquaintance drove the victim to St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center for medical attention, police said.

Murray said the victim is in stable condition at the hospital.

Earlier on Sunday, a 45-year-old man was wounded in the lower back at around 3:30 a.m. on East 23rd Street between 11th and 12th avenues, police said. The victim in that incident was rushed to the hospital and is in stable condition, Murray said.

Detectives are canvassing the area around Auburn Street and asking members of the community for assistance in finding the perpetrators.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Ceasefire Unit Detective Rolando Polio or Prosecutor’s Detective Michael Boone at 973-321-1342. Anonymously forward information to police by logging on to PatersonPD.com.