Father orders six-year-old son to shoot him

A man who ordered his six-year-old son to shoot him in the head was critically ill in hospital after the apparent suicide attempt, US police said.

Ronald Moore, 42, was being treated for a gunshot wound to his left temple.

The boy told police his father was drinking and threatening to kill himself on Sunday evening.

He said his father got a gun from his car, then told the boy to pull the trigger as they both held the gun to his head, according to a police report.

It was uncertain whether Moore or his son pulled the trigger, the report said.

The boy’s 11-year-old brother was in the room and his mother was in the kitchen.

Police said the mother told them Moore ‘‘began to go through mood swings’’ on Sunday afternoon.