The unarmed 16-year-old boy injured in a shooting early Sunday at a St. Paul apartment complex may be paralyzed as a result of his injuries, according to Somali community advocates who spoke to the boy's family on Monday.

The boy's mother said that doctors had told her that her son will be paralyzed from a gunshot wound to his lower back, said Abdirizak Ahmed, who spoke to the Somali boy's family on behalf of the Confederation of Somali Community in Minnesota, a nonprofit community assistance organization.

"She said the doctor told her that even if he became healthy, he would be paralyzed," Ahmed said.

The guard, Timothy Kenbert Engle, 21, remained in the Ramsey County Jail after being arrested on suspicion of aggravated assault. Engle, an employee of Wolf Protective Agency, could be charged today. Police said Engle had a gun permit, which is common practice for private security guards.

Before the shooting, Engle was questioning the teenager about a car stereo he had in his possession, police said Sunday. The boy, who lives in the apartment complex, ran from Engle and another guard, got into a car and tried to drive away, witnesses and police said.

On Monday, investigators were trying to determine why Engle fired his gun, said officer Paul Schnell, St. Paul police spokesman. Schnell said the guards had the suspect at gunpoint when the call came in, and moments later the call was changed to "shot had been fired."

Police found no weapons on the teenager, in the car he entered or on two males, ages 16 and 26, who were in the car during the shooting, Schnell said. Schnell said he did not believe the car belonged to the teenager. Police have not released the boy's name, citing investigative concerns, Schnell said.

"The activities of the victim and his counterparts in the car are certainly part of the overall investigation," Schnell said. "However, the two are going to be looked at for their own set of circumstances because one may not necessarily justify the other."

Under state law, the same standards on the use of force apply to licensed police officers and private security guards alike, as well as to anyone making a citizen's arrest, Schnell said. "In general, it requires there be self-defense related or an imminent threat to self or others. Certainly, even in the course of a citizen's arrest, you're allowed to use reasonable force to take a person into custody. But obviously that has to be weighed against the crime for which the arrest is being sought."

The shooting has been troubling to the teenager's family and other Somalis, said Saeed Fahia, executive director of the Confederation of Somali Community in Minnesota.

"I think it's uncalled for," Fahia said. "I don't understand why the guard would shoot him. That's over the line. I'm really sorry that it's happened."

Businesses that provide security services must have a state license, and the businesses that arm their employees must provide them six hours a year of armed training, in addition to other training requirements, according to the state Board of Private Detective and Protective Agent Services. Guard applicants must submit to state and federal criminal history checks.

The state board has taken no disciplinary action against Wolf Protective Service, executive director Marie Ohman said. The company was in compliance with requirements for doing training and criminal history checks when it applied last year for a new two-year license, which the board granted. "We are certainly very interested," Ohman said. "We would look at responses to a situation like this."

Michael Smith of Wolf Protective Agency declined to comment, except to say that guards at Skyline Tower had routinely carried guns. He wouldn't specify the model.

Ann Ruff of CommonBond Properties, which bought the 1,000-resident apartment complex in March 2000, contradicted Smith and said guards usually are not armed when they work at the 24-story building near Hamline Avenue and Interstate 94.

Staff members have given tapes from Skyline's 100 security cameras to police. Ruff said CommonBond had not had past problems with guards from Wolf Protective Service, which has been under contract to provide overnight security at Skyline Tower for the past year.

Residents coming and going through a steady snowfall Monday afternoon recalled hearing the gunfire and watching the commotion that followed as police, paramedics and security company officials arrived.

"I heard the gunshot and it woke me up," said Ulysses Morafka. "I was looking down out the window and saw cops all around. I was surprised because this usually doesn't happen."

Mike Anancy was sitting in his car in the parking lot when he heard the gunshot and drove around a large trash container to see what had happened. Anancy said that he had talked to Engle several times on past occasions and that relations between residents and security guards generally had been good.

"Everyone has been pretty cool," Anancy said of the guards.