A United States Park police officer who attempted to defend himself from a raccoon attack accidentally shot himself in the process.

The Washington Post reported that authorities said the officer was attacked around noon Thursday at Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C.

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The U.S. Park police said in a statement that the officer accidentally shot himself in the foot while attempting to shoot the animal.

WRC-TV reported that, according to authorities, another officer showed up and was able to shoot and kill the raccoon.

U.S. Park police Capt. Phillip Beck told WRC-TV that the officer was taken to a nearby hospital. He had non-life-threatening injuries.

The raccoon was removed by Animal Control.

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Rebecca Ramage-Tuttle, assistant director of the Statewide Independent Living Council of Georgia, says the the DOE rule change is “a slippery slope” for civil rights. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

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