SAN DIEGO -- A 16-year-old boy who police said was throwing rocks at several vehicles was recovering Tuesday after being shot with a crossbow fired by someone inside a small sport utility vehicle, San Diego police reported.

The victim and another boy were throwing rocks at vehicles about 2:15 p.m. Monday in the vicinity of Linda Vista and Mesa College roads, police said.

"That's where we're sorting out the stories," said SDPD Det. Gary Hassen. "One story says they were throwing rocks on Linda Vista Road. Another story says they were throwing rocks at another location."

Hassen said the boys got on a bus, and when they got off the bus, two young men in a black Toyota RAV 4 drove up. Someone in the SUV fired a crossbow, and an arrow hit one of the boys in the abdomen. He was treated at the hospital and is now at home, 10News reported.

Police don't know yet if the Toyota had been hit by rocks. The two teenagers in it, described as 16- to 17-year-old Latinos, got away and were last seen heading south on Linda Vista Road.

Bob Fromme of Performance Archery in San Diego said crossbows can do considerable damage.

"It's not a self-defense weapon," he said. "It's a recreational-type weapon. Sometimes people do things they're not supposed to. They get hit with baseball bats and maybe stabbed with steak knives. But that's not what this was designed for."

Police don't know what type of crossbow was used, but Fromme told 10News they can fire an arrow at more than 350 feet per second and hit a 4- to 6-inch circle from 60 yards away.

As for people getting shot with crossbows, Hassen said, "I've been doing this for well over 20 years, and this is the only the second time I've ever seen anybody shot with a crossbow. It's very unusual."

Fromme agreed, and added, "Archery's not meant to be shooting people."

The name of the boy who was shot is not being released.