SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) – A man accused of shooting his girlfriend in January has pleaded not guilty.

Austyn Self, 23, of Sioux City, made the plea in submitting a written arraignment Friday morning in the case of the murder of Sarah Zoelle, 31. Self is charged with first-degree murder and three counts of child endangerment.

On January 14 at 9:42 p.m., police said that Zoelle called 911 and said her boyfriend was pointing a gun at her. The 911 dispatcher later heard a gunshot followed by the sound of a woman screaming. Self allegedly then picked up the phone and told the dispatcher he shot the woman and would comply when police arrived.

Officers arrived on the scene and called for Self to exit the residence and he complied, court documents state. In the residence, police found Zoelle with a gunshot wound in her abdomen and holding a 6-month-old baby. She was taken to the hospital where she later died.

Police said that there were three children in the residence and that Self and Zoelle had at least one child together. All the children were under five years old.