Foreign exchange student stabbed, robbed at Hixson Pike bus stop

Chattanooga police are investigating a robbery and stabbing that occurred Tuesday night around 9:30 at the 3800 block of Hixson Pike, Chattanooga police spokesman Tim McFarland said.

The victim was 22-year-old Phani Tangirala, who is a foreign exchange student. Tangirala told police he left work at 9 p.m. and went to the bus stop. At the stop, a man came out of the woods behind the stop and approached him. He stabbed Tangirala below his left ribcage and stole the cash in his wallet before running back into the woods.

Tangirala needed surgery for nonlife-threatening injuries, but McFarland said last he heard, Tangirala was in stable condition.

After a search of the area, police could not find the suspect. He wore a black scarf over his face, and the only description is that he is about 6 feet tall and smelled strongly of marijuana.

"We don't have much to go on right now," McFarland said.

Police are asking anyone with information to call police at 423-698-2525.

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