FARMINGTON — Bail was set at $500,000 cash Wednesday for a local man accused of shooting his 29-year-old girlfriend in the face Tuesday after she told him she was leaving and taking their 11-month-old daughter with her to Wyoming.

Farmington police charged Gunthar Samuel Swan, 26, of 512 Fairbanks Road with attempted murder and elevated aggravated domestic violence assault Tuesday. He remained at the Franklin County Detention Center in Farmington on Wednesday after his initial appearance in Farmington District Court via Zoom wearing an anti-suicide smock.

Erik Larsen, a Maine State Police Major Crimes investigator, said Wednesday that the girlfriend was in critical but stable condition at Maine Medical Center in Portland.

The Sun Journal does not identify domestic violence victims without their permission.

According to the affidavit filed by Farmington police Detective Rex Schweighofer with the court, Swan and his girlfriend were verbally arguing in the kitchen of his mother’s home while their 11-month daughter was in a highchair in the dining room.

Swan’s mother, who also lives there, told police the argument began when the girlfriend announced she was going to leave him and take their daughter to her mother’s residence in Wyoming.

Swan’s mother told police that her son and his girlfriend had a history of verbal arguments and sometimes he punched holes in the walls, which police observed during the interview.

Swan woke up about 11 a.m., she said, to care for his daughter. His girlfriend came downstairs about an hour later.

Swan’s mother told police that after the argument began, she saw Swan shaking his girlfriend and tried to push him back and told him to stop multiple times.

She said Swan responded, “No, she needs to learn,” according to the affidavit.

His mother said she saw him reach to his right side, where she knew he kept a firearm, draw the gun, point it at his girlfriend with his arm fully extended and fire one shot into her face. The girlfriend dropped to the floor and Swan threw the firearm into the dining room, the affidavit said.

His mother picked up the gun and put it in the living room and called 911.

Swan left the residence.

Detective David Davol of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office detained Swan near the intersection of County Way, where the Sheriff’s Office and county jail are. Swan “made multiple excited utterances, ‘I shot my wife, I deserve the death penalty,'” according to the affidavit.

Davol asked Swan if his wife was alive and Swan responded, “I don’t know,” the affidavit said.

Police said Swan also confirmed that he used the Glock 43x firearm seen in the house to shoot his girlfriend.

Judge Tammy Ham-Thompson ordered Swan to have no contact with his daughter, his mother or his daughter’s mother, and said he is not to return to 513 Fairbanks Road. He is not to possess or use dangerous weapons, including firearms, and can be checked at any time by police for weapons.

His next court appearance is June 26 for review of counsel. If an attorney is appointed before then his next scheduled appearance is Sept. 26.

If convicted of attempted murder and elevated aggravated domestic violence assault, he faces up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000.

HOW TO GET HELP

IF YOU or someone you know has experienced domestic violence, you can call the statewide Domestic Abuse Helpline at 1-866-834-4357 to talk to someone who can help. You can learn more online at www.mcedv.org.

IF YOU or someone you know has experienced sexual abuse, you can call the statewide Sexual Assault Crisis and Support Line at 1-800-871-7741 to talk to someone who can help. You can learn more online at www.silentnomore.org.

FOR ASSISTANCE during a mental health crisis, call or text 888-568-1112. To call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, call 988 or chat online at 988lifeline.org.

FOR OTHER support or referrals, call the NAMI Maine Help Line at 800-464-5767 or email [email protected].