LAWRENCE, Mass. -- A teenager was shot in the flood-ravaged city of Lawrence Thursday night, shortly after officials enacted a mandatory curfew.

Police said an unidentified, 18-year-old teenager was shot in the leg just after 9 p.m. at a Park Street package store which is located on the edge of the curfew zone.

"He had words with the shooter. We don't know if they knew each other. In any case, they struggled over the gun. The victim was shot in the leg. We recovered the gun. At this time, the perpetrator is still at large," Lawrence Police Chief John Romero said.

NewsCenter 5's Gail Huff reported that the curfew, which is in effect between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. over the next several days, was put into effect for safety, to protect property from looters and residents from the kind of violence that erupted Thursday night.

"These are the things we're worried about happening in an area that's totally blackened out," Romero said.

Police have been active in the 14-block area, which includes much of the city's north end, because many of the streets are still without electricity. Generators were set up to help light the areas, where the curfew will remain in effect through Sunday night.

One city councilor said vandalism and looting could become problems until electricity is restored.

"It happens a lot. There's kids that just go out there, that do graffiti, you know, they wait for somebody not to be home," Grisel Silva said.

There was no word on the teenager's condition.