Washington, Aug 12 (IANS): A man shot dead his nine-year-old son and then killed himself using a handgun in the US state of New Hampshire, authorities said.

Muni Savyon, 54, shot his son Joshua during a supervised visitation at a Young Women's Christian Association office Sunday in Manchester city, reported Xinhua.

The father, an Israeli-born software engineer, had sent an email to a friend saying he was suicidal before the incident, said Rabbi Levi Krinsky of Jewish organisation Chabad Lubavitch.

Krinsky said Savyon's brother had died five weeks ago in Israel and he appeared depressed when Krinsky last met him a week ago.

He said the man and the boy's mother shared custody of the child after parting ways a few years ago.

The couple's marital status was not clear.

Law enforcement officials said the relationship had been contentious at times and Savyon had previously threatened to kill himself, the mother and their son.