A US father has been killed while trying to buy his kids a puppy

Christopher "Scott" Bowman, pictured with ex-wife Chelsea. Photo / Facebook

A Florida man has been shot in front of his children while trying to buy them a puppy from a man he met on Facebook.

According to relatives Christopher "Scott" Bowman, contacted the man who was selling his dog and the two agreed on the purchase.

The New York Post reported that the seller insisted on delivering the puppy to the family's home.

Bowman then invited the man inside his Jacksonville home in order to make the exchange.

"The dude takes his shoes off, and he stays," Chelsea Bowman, Bowman's ex-wife and fiancee (the two were planning to re-marry), told New York Post.

"And he doesn't leave. And it's making everybody uncomfortable."

Mrs Bowman then said that the man refused to leave when the couple asked him to go and appeared very intoxicated.

"He gets very, very volatile, very, very drunk," Mrs Bowman said. "My husband [Scott] goes to use the bathroom, and he waits for him. He comes out, and he grabs him and he starts beating him."

Bowman's daughter then reported that the man put a gun to her father's head and the two ended up in a fight, with Bowman turning the gun on the man and shooting him in the arm.

Mr Bowan, right, was shot trying to buy a puppy for his children. Photo / Facebook

Mr Bowman then ran from the man, who returned fire by shooting Bowman in the chest, killing him.

His daughter then screamed at the man "'You shot my dad! You shot my dad!'" Mrs Bowman reported. "I said 'Run! Go get help.' I said 'Baby, baby, please,' trying to wake him up."

The Sheriffs department in Jacksonville arrested the suspect and reported that the investigation was ongoing.

"I miss him. I just want him back," Mrs Bowman said. "I keep thinking it's a horrible dream."