A US man who accidentally shot his brother while trying to kill a bear turned his gun on himself, police said.

The man, who has not been named, dialled 911 as soon as the accident happened on family property in Oregon, in the west of the country.

“The caller reported that he had accidentally shot his brother while loading a gun because there was a bear on their property,” Josephine County Sheriff’s office said in a news release Wednesday.

“Upon arrival, Deputies located a deceased male from an apparent gunshot wound.

“While checking the rest of the residence, a second deceased male was located with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.”

The sheriff’s office said the incident was still being investigated, but the circumstances pointed to there being no one else involved.

“Based upon the investigation, it is believed the caller took his own life after calling 911 to report the accidental shooting,” they said.

Gun ownership is common in the United States. Supporters fiercely guard the right to keep weapons, which they maintain is enshrined in the US Constitution.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a government agency, says there are around 45,000 firearm deaths every year in the country, greater than the number of people killed in road accidents.  – AFP, February 11, 2022.