FARMINGTON — Police have charged two people with attacking a local homeowner and his girlfriend with an ax and a meat cleaver.

Brian Sweeney, 31, of Rumford and Shari L. Dupree, 31, of Wilton face felony charges of burglary and aggravated assault following last week’s incident at the home on Poverty Lane, Sgt. Shane Cote of the Farmington Police Department said.

Shortly before midnight on April 3, police received a 911 call from a woman who said two people were there with weapons trying to kill her boyfriend, and that her boyfriend was covered in blood, according to court documents.

Awakened by a tapping on his bedroom window, the homeowner told police the tapping was followed by an ax coming through the window, nearly hitting his girlfriend’s head and shattering glass over them.

He then heard a male voice and went to his front door. He heard the door glass breaking and said Sweeney reached in to unlock the door, according to police.

As the homeowner opened the door, Sweeney swung at him with the ax, which he blocked. He saw Dupree standing there with what police called a 12-inch meat cleaver.

A scuffle broke out as the homeowner tried to get the ax without being hit. Both fell into broken glass. According to the court file, Dupree hit the homeowner in the head with the meat cleaver as the men fought. The victim was struck in the forehead several times but was able to get the ax and the cleaver away from the two, who fled.

All four people received minor injuries, Cote said. The homeowner and his girlfriend went to the hospital on their own, refusing to be transported. Both were bleeding, the homeowner from his head, hands and legs and his girlfriend from wounds on her arms, neck and legs. Police believe some wounds were from the broken glass. One wound was definitely from the cleaver.

The victim, a tattoo artist, told police he had known Sweeney and had been a close friend for some time, even allowing him to live in his trailer. He had recently given Sweeney a free tattoo on his neck.

Earlier that day, Sweeney, who had been drinking, had gone to the victim’s home and an argument started because Sweeney was not happy with the tattoo. After he left, Sweeney kept sending text messages. Once those stopped, the victim thought it was over but later heard the ax tapping on his window.

Dupree and Sweeney turned themselves into police on Monday and Tuesday, respectively, Cote said. Dupree was released on $2,500 cash bail from the Franklin County Detention Center on Monday.

The meat cleaver was left at the scene, but police have not recovered the ax.

Sweeney appeared before Judge Nancy Carlson in Franklin County Superior Court on Wednesday. His bail was set at $3,500 cash with conditions of no contact with the victims or Dupree. Late Wednesday he remained at the detention center. Both are scheduled to appear in court on June 29.

abryant@sunjournal.com