A New Haven man who grabbed a gun to get rid of a raccoon problem accidentally shot himself when he sneezed, according to police.



Police said an 81-year-old New Haven man was having a problem with a large raccoon that had been scratching at his back door on Russell Street for several days.



Armed with a .22-caliber rifle, the man waited for the raccoon to show up on Saturday evening, but sneezed and fell from his chair while waiting and accidentally shot himself in his shin, police said.



The victim secured the rifle, told his son what happened and the son drove him to the hospital for treatment.



Police were dispatched to Yale-New Haven Hospital at 8:08 p.m. about a shooting and spoke with the victim.



Detectives have the rifle and are investigating.



The victim's injury is not life-threatening, according to police.

