The uncle of an alleged home invader accused of stabbing an elderly couple before being shot has claimed the attack was completely out of character for his nephew.

Joshua Dylan Trethewey, 34, allegedly forced his way into a property at Torrington, in northern NSW, on Friday.

He is accused of stabbing Keith Blessing, 75, and the elderly man's wife Marianne, 72, before Mr Blessing allegedly fought back and shot Trethewey in self-defence.

Trethewey is still in Armidale Hospital being treated for gunshot wounds and has been charged with two counts of wounding with intent to murder.

His uncle Reg Trethewey has spoken out, saying the claims against his nephew have left the tight-knit family reeling.

'It's very sad. It's very hard for our family,' he told 7News.

Reg said the alleged violence was impossible to reconcile with the man he knew, revealing he had been supporting his nephew through a string of devastating personal losses.

Just hours before the alleged attack, Reg had visited the 34-year-old to talk through funeral plans following the death of Trethewey's mother from motor neurone disease.

'He said, all right, everything's OK. And I just said to him, would you like me to pick you up for the funeral? And he was, yeah, quite open to that,' Reg said.

'The events of that evening had just left me absolutely floored, as with everybody else.'

Trethewey's father had died of cancer just two years earlier, adding to the family’s grief and deepening the mystery over how the quiet local became embroiled in such shocking allegations.

The 34-year-old had worked as a boilermaker for his uncle and was known around Deepwater as a reserved, low-key figure.

'He wasn't really a very outgoing fella,' Reg said.

'Like the rest of us, he had his difficulties. Josh and I had a good relationship, and I want to continue to support him.'

Residents of the tight-knit town described the allegations as completely out of character.

'Very gentle person. This just shocks us all to our core,' one local said.

'He's a totally different guy. Pretty quiet, not talking to anyone,' another added.

'It's just very devastating what's happened.'

Trethewey remains under police guard in Armidale Hospital receiving treatment for gunshot wounds, while the Blessings continue recovering in a Gold Coast hospital.

As the couple recuperate, locals have rallied behind Mr Blessing's actions on the night.

'Given the violence that was enacted by the intruder, the community would be absolutely outraged were there any charges laid against Mr Blessing, who, thank God, was able to have that further defence,' Tenterfield Mayor Bronwyn Petrie said.

Ms Blessing suffered a chest wound and collapsed, while her husband was slashed across the abdomen.

Mr Blessing called Triple Zero for urgent help just after 12.15am.

However, before emergency services arrived, Trethewey allegedly attempted to re-enter the house and was shot at by Mr Blessing.

The couple remain in a critical but stable condition at Gold Coast University Hospital.

A police source told Daily Mail it is very unlikely Mr Blessing will face charges, due to the alleged circumstances in which the firearm was discharged.

'He certainly did his best, obviously under very difficult circumstances to defend himself and his partner. It was quite impressive that he was able to do that, given the extent of the injuries that he had suffered,' Supt McKinnon said.