ALTOFONTE, Italy, July 28 (UPI) -- A soon-to-be married Italian couple were posing for wedding pictures with a gun when the firearm accidentally discharged, killing the photographer, police said.

The .22-caliber rifle was one of several firearms the bride and groom, Valentina Anitra and Ignazio Licodia, were using as props during a photo session before the ceremony in Altofonte, near Palermo, Britain's The Daily Telegraph reported Wednesday.

The rifle discharged, striking photographer Calogero Scimeca in the head, killing him instantly, police said.

Police said they were deciding whether to bring negligence charges against the groom's parents because the accident happened at their house shortly before the wedding ceremony, which was canceled, the Telegraph said. The photographer had suggested using guns -- traditionally fired at weddings and festivals in southern Italy -- as props to create a memorable wedding album.

Police said they were having difficulty determining the events leading up to the shooting and who actually shot the gun because most of the witnesses were reluctant to talk.