The teenager was shot in both legs.
Two masked and armed men forced their way into a house in the Crescent area of Coleraine, Co Derry, at around 10.30pm last night.
They assaulted the teenager and then shot him in the legs before fleeing.
He is reported to be in a serious but stable condition in hospital after being transferred to Belfast for specialist treatment.
A PSNI inspector said the boy was lucky to be alive after what she said was a 'vicious and violent' attack, which was carried out in front of the boy's girlfriend.
A motive for the shooting has not yet been established, police said.
Detectives investigating the attack appealed for anyone who was in the area and saw what happened or noticed anything suspicious to contact them.
