The man, in his 20s, was walking along Mount Vernon Lane when two men approached him.
However, when the pair tackled the victim to the ground and one of the men produced a gun, it failed to fire.
A PSNI spokesperson said: "It was reported that at around 10.20pm, a man aged in his 20’s was approached by two masked men as he walked along an alleyway in the area and was forced to the ground.
"One of the men produced a suspected firearm from under his coat and an attempt was made to fire the weapon which is reported to have jammed.
"Both men, who were wearing gloves and dark-coloured clothing, then made off on foot."
Detective Constable Anita Cummings is appealing for anyone who was in the area last night and who may have noticed any suspicious activity to contact detectives in Musgrave on 101.
