Johnathan Whitaker, 17, made his initial court appearance Thursday, a day and a half after a shooting in Enterprise, Miss. He is charged with aggravated assault and malicious mischief for a shooting that injured his 15-year-old girlfriend. The shooting happened around 5 p.m. Tuesday at the victim's home in Enterprise.

"Some type of altercation occurred between the two prior to the shooting," said Clarke County Sheriff Todd Kemp. "Investigators are continuing to try to piece together that puzzle at this time."

According to a statement read aloud in court, this is the sequence of events: Whitaker became extremely upset when his girlfriend would not let him inside the door; she then allegedly went to the back and got her father's gun; upon returning to the front of the house Whitaker had allegedly broken down the door, proceeded to take the gun from her and shoot her in the pelvis.

The victim was hospitalized in Jackson.

"It's just tragic," said Kemp. "She could possibly be crippled for life. His life could be ruined by going to the penitentiary."

Whitaker's case is expected to go before a grand jury in August. If the grand jury feels that there's enough evidence for a trial, he will be indicted, a trial date will be set. If found guilty of aggravated assault, Whitaker could face up 20 years in prison.