Baker City man fires shotgun at room door to evict couple, arrested

A Baker City man was booked into the Baker County Jail after firing a shotgun at the door of a room in his house to evict two people who had been staying there, according to a probable cause affidavit filed by the arresting officer. The Baker City Police responded to a report of assault on Baker Street on January 10 at about 9:14 a.m.

Police arrested 64-year-old Gregory Raymond Alvarez on multiple felony and misdemeanor counts. He is being held on two counts each of Assault II, Recklessly Endangering, and Pointing a Firearm at Another, plus one count each of Unlawful Use of a Weapon and Menacing. The affidavit says Alvarez told officers the couple had been living in a room in his home for about one month and that he wanted them to leave. “Upon contact with Alvarez inside the kitchen of his residence he stated that [withheld] and [withheld] had been living in one of the rooms for about one month and he wanted them to leave. Alvarez said he had been telling them since the night before to leave, and that they wouldn’t leave…He said that in the morning, after they continued to refuse to leave, he fired [the] shotgun at their door.”

The affidavit describes a nonstandard method of discharge. Alvarez told the arresting officer he “...rested the barrel of the shotgun on the chair, pointing it at the door, and using hammer in his left hand, he struck the back of the shotgun shell that was in the chamber. He said when he discharged it, it knocked his hand back.” Neither person in the other room reported injuries, and police say Alvarez was arrested without incident. A Baker City Police sergeant, a detective, and an additional officer assisted at the scene.

For Baker County residents, the case underscores two practical concerns: the immediate public-safety risk posed when firearms are introduced into domestic disputes, and the local social pressures that can drive informal living arrangements. The couple had reportedly been staying in the residence for about a month, a detail that reflects how short-term cohabitation can create contested household dynamics in small communities where housing options are limited.

There are also fiscal and legal consequences that ripple outward. Criminal charges can carry jail time and fines, and a conviction can lead to civil liability for property damage or endangerment. Encounters that require multiple officers to respond place additional demands on local law enforcement, which can be significant for rural departments.

The case will move through the Baker County court system; in the meantime, police urge residents to report threats or weapons incidents so officers can respond before situations escalate. For neighbors and householders, the episode serves as a reminder that disputes over occupancy should be handled through legal and nonviolent channels to protect personal safety and community stability.