An off-duty FBI agent accidentally shot a man while dancing and doing a backflip in front of a crowd in a Denver bar.

The gun went off as he picked it up after dropping it during his backflip attempt.

The agent, whose identity is not yet known, was filmed dancing enthusiastically while a group of people watched at the Mile High Spirits and Distillery bar.

Image: The gun went off when the agent tried to pick it up. Pic: ABC/DenverChannel.com

Video shows them covering their mouths and recoiling as the gun goes off.

The agent retrieves the weapon and walks out of the cleared circle he had been dancing in with his hands held up.


He does not appear to walk in the direction of where the bullet was fired.

This @FBI agent was dancing at a Denver bar on Saturday night. Did a back flip, gun falls. He picks it up and a round is fired, hitting a man (he’ll be ok.) @DenverPolice investigating. #9News pic.twitter.com/MwV1WpNzAQ — Ryan Haarer (@RyanHaarer) June 3, 2018

Pictures in the US media appear to show a man lying on the floor of the bar with paramedics treating his shin or lower knee.

Police in the Colorado city said the gun had fallen from its waistband holster during the incident, which happened in the early hours of Saturday.

They confirmed a man had been injured and taken to a local hospital with a non-life-threatening injury.

US media quoted an FBI spokesperson as saying: "The investigation is active, ongoing, and a personnel matter so we cannot provide comment at this time."

Image: The agent dropped his gun after doing a backflip. Pic: ABC/DenverChannel.com

He did not comment on what firearms protocol is for off-duty agents.

Police spokeswoman Marika Putnam said the agent had been taken to a police station and later released to an FBI supervisor.

The Denver district attorney's office said the incident remained under investigation.