A New York police officer accidentally shot himself in his bulletproof vest while running away from a possibly rabid fox, police said. Ellenville Police Officer Harold Nunuvero's gun discharged while he was trying to jump over a fence Tuesday, Chief Philip Mattracion told the Times Herald-Record.

Nunuvero and Sgt. Robert Morse were investigating a report of a possible rabid animal, the chief told the newspaper. He said the fox was acting aggressively, and it took off after Nunuvero.

The officer had his gun drawn, but he didn't fire at the fox because Morse and a civilian were in his line of fire, Mattracion told the paper. As Nunuvero was running away, he tried to jump over a fence, and his foot got caught, the chief said.

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"You can see clearly from our car cameras and our bodycam footage that the officer flips over the fence, and as he does so a round discharges from his weapon, striking the officer in the chest," Mattracion said. With Nunuvero on the ground, Morse shot and killed the fox.

The officer didn't realize the round from his gun hit him until he stood up, Mattracion said. Nunuvero was treated at a hospital and released.