A 72-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of shooting his 28-year-old wife in the head because she allegedly told him he didn't satisfy her financially or sexually.

Clarence White is accused of shooting his spouse Dominique at their home in the Bronx Thursday morning, leaving her in critical condition.

They had been arguing before the gun was fired, the New York Daily News reports.

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Clarence White was charged with attempted murder, assault and criminal use of a firearm

The shooting happened at 8.40am, and a neighbor of the couple, who have been married for three years and have a young daughter, told the newspaper: 'It was a normal argument. He went inside and she followed him.'

White told police the two had been arguing in the hours before the shooting, sources told the NY Daily News.

They had suffered money problems since White had lost his job recently and during the argument, his wife had told him to pack his bags and leave.

He found a gun and put it in his pocket, but tried to reconcile with her when she told him he didn't satisfy her sexually or financially.

Police sources told the Daily News that White claimed he just wanted to scare her and didn't mean to shoot her.

Officers found a 22-caliber handgun at the address and White was charged with attempted murder, assault and criminal use of a firearm.

His wife was taken to Jacobi Medical Center where she remained in critical but stable condition on Friday.

While some neighbors described the couple as quiet, the New York Daily News reports that police had been called to previous arguments at the address.

Officers were last called to the home on May 24.