ALHAMBRA — Trial began Thursday for an alleged Duarte gang member accused shooting and paralyzing a then-16-year-old boy in 2008, officials said.

Jimmy Santana, 23, is charged with attempted murder for shooting a 16-year-old boy has he rode his bicycle in the 2500 block of Peck Road, in an unincorporated county area near Monrovia, on Jan. 29, 2008.

Investigators have described the wounded teen as an innocent young man who got caught in the crossfire of a feud between black and Latino gangs in the area in late 2007 and early 2008.

After a jury was selected in for the case in Alhambra Superior Court, opening arguments were heard Thursday and the alleged victim took the stand to testify, court officials said.

At a hearing 2 months after the shooting, the young man described how he was riding home from a dairy when a car approached and a gunman, later identified as Santana, opened fire while shouting gang slogans.

According to county booking records, Santana is being held in lieu of $2 million bail.