AUGUSTA — A man accused of shooting his girlfriend in Gardiner last Friday told police he did it, according to a police affidavit filed in Kennebec County Superior Court.

Kenneth Leon Sirmans, 40, of Gardiner made his first court appearance Tuesday. He is charged with aggravated assault in the shooting that injured Allison Wainwright, 40, in the upstairs living room of the Washington Avenue apartment they shared.

Sirmans has been held in Kennebec County jail in Augusta on $500,000 bail.

On Friday, Sirmans told police responding to the shooting that he shot his girlfriend but had only meant to threaten her, according to the affidavit by Gardiner Police Detective Michael Durham.

Wainwright, who was shot once in the abdomen, was taken by LifeFlight to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, where she underwent surgery. Gardiner Police Chief James Toman said Saturday a detective saw her at the hospital and she appeared to be recovering.

Durham’s affidavit said Sgt. Stacey Blair of the Gardiner police entered the apartment and found the loaded firearm, a .38-caliber revolver.

Sirmans told police the two had been arguing.

“Sirmans admitted they both had been consuming intoxicating beverages all day,” Durham wrote in the affidavit. “Sirmans stated he had only meant to scare her.”

In court Tuesday, Justice Michaela Murphy told Sirmans his case likely would be presented to the grand jury, and set his next court date for Nov. 9.