NRA employee accidentally shoots himself at pro-gun group's headquarters

Man rushed to hospital with leg wound

The employee was taking part in a training session (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

A man working for the National Rifle Association accidentally shot himself during a training session.

The incident took place at the pro-gun group’s headquarters in Fairfax, Virginia.

The unidentified 46-year-old, who worked at the NRA’s museum, was holstering his pistol when it discharged, police said.

The man suffered a minor wound to his leg and was taken to hospital for treatment, NBC Washington reported.

Police do not expect to bring charges.

The NRA claims gun safety is “paramount” and boasts its training is the “gold standard” for learning about the safe operation of firearms.

But the latest incident has drawn criticism from gun control advocates, who used it to mock the NRA’s uncompromising pro-gun stance.

The group has lobbied hard against efforts to regulate gun ownership in the US, even after mass shootings have taken place.

Unintentional shootings kill and injure Americans every year. In 2015, 141 children were killed by firearms, the Associated Press reported.