A Lancaster city teenager was sentenced to nine and a half to 20 years in state prison after he pleaded guilty last week to shooting another juvenile in the face during an argument.

Judge Thomas Sponaugle sentenced 17-year-old Jay-Quan Edward Williams, of the 300 block of East Liberty Street, after he pleaded guilty Sept. 24 to attempted criminal homicide, two counts of aggravated assault and a single count each of recklessly endangering another person, possession of a firearm by a minor, firearms not to be carried without a license and persons not to possess a firearm.

In handing down the sentence Sponaugle said he found the incident to be a “profoundly sad case” of Williams “throwing your life away in two seconds.”

The then-16-year-old Williams shot the victim in the face near Culliton Park in the 200 block of West Strawberry Street in Lancaster city the afternoon of Oct. 8.

Assistant District Attorney Andrew Harbaugh, who prosecuted the case, told the court that Williams asked the victim “do you want to die” before he shot them, mutilating their jaw. The victim required surgical intervention to treat their injuries.

As part of his sentence Williams must also pay more than $13,000 in restitution to the victim for their medical bills. 

Though Williams declined to address the court when given the opportunity to do so, an attorney representing him lamented that “two young men’s lives irrevocably changed for the worse” as a result of the incident and said it was “fortunate” that the victim wasn’t killed.

Video footage from the area depicted Williams interacting with a group of juveniles which included the victim. As the interaction became heated, Williams could be heard on the video asking the victim if he wanted to die before brandishing a weapon that had been concealed in his waistband.

When the victim walked away and began speaking with an innocent bystander Williams fired a single shot before fleeing.

As a juvenile Williams is not eligible to carry a concealed weapon. 

Lancaster City Bureau of Police Officer Brandon McCormick filed the charges.