A man accidentally shot himself and his wife during a meeting about gun safety at a Tennessee church.

The couple, who are in their 80s, were discussing gun protection at a social meeting held at the First United Methodist Church in Tellico Plains when the incident occurred.

“Well, I’ve got my gun on me,” said the 81-year-old man, police say, before he pulled out his 380-calibre Ruger handgun and removed the magazine.

He put the magazine back in and put the gun away, but forgot it was loaded when a person later asked to see it.

The military veteran then pulled the trigger, with the bullet slicing his palm and penetrating his wife’s abdomen and exiting her right side.