ST. PAUL — A St. Paul man has pleaded guilty in the shooting death of his infant daughter’s mother, after previously telling police he accidentally shot her while holding their baby.

Twenty-two-year-old Dimitri Harrell pleaded guilty Thursday to second-degree intentional murder in the death of his girlfriend, 19-year-old Samirria White.

Authorities say Harrell shot White while holding their 3-month-old daughter on April 5. According to a criminal complaint, Harrell initially told police that he shot her while trying to pull a gun from his pocket.

The complaint says there was “an unusually large amount of gunshot residue” around the entrance wound, indicating the gun was fired within inches of White’s face.

Defense attorney Mark Todd says Harrell pleaded guilty because his client felt it was “the best course, given the evidence.”