Police late Saturday continued to search for the reason a state lawmaker from Indianapolis was beaten in Carmel.

Rep. Edward DeLaney, an attorney and Democratic state representative, was meeting a prospective client on Catherine Drive near 131st Street on Saturday, police said.

Carmel police said the prospective client, Augustus J. Mendenhall, 38, Indianapolis, punched DeLaney and tried to fire a handgun.

Mendenhall, also an attorney, was being held late Saturday without bond in the Hamilton County Jail in Noblesville. Police said he faces several felony charges, including attempted murder.

Ann DeLaney, Edward DeLaney’s wife, said her husband never had met his attacker before Saturday. Her husband thought Mendenhall was interested in buying land in the area and wanted legal advice, she said.

“This is so inexplicable,” she said. “We’re still trying to figure out what this is all about.”

It’s unclear what led to the beating, Lt. Jeff Horner said.

Police said Mendenhall robbed DeLaney, 66, at some point during the attack, but Horner wasn’t sure what Mendenhall took.

According to a statement from DeLaney, Mendenhall attempted to fire a handgun, but the gun didn’t go off, Horner said. Police aren’t sure whether Mendenhall beat DeLaney with the gun, which police recovered.

Someone in the area saw the scuffle and called police. They arrived at 10:15 a.m. and saw Mendenhall on top of DeLaney, punching him in the head, Horner said. Mendenhall began to run, and officers shocked him with a Taser.

DeLaney suffered head injuries and was being treated at Methodist Hospital, said his wife, who is executive director of the Julian Center in Indianapolis, a shelter for victims of domestic violence.

He’s bruised and has broken bones above and below one eye. Doctors are doing tests to determine whether his ribs are broken, Ann DeLaney added.

Despite the injuries, he’s been joking with the medical staff, she said.

“Under the circumstances, he’s been doing very well.”