A Portland-based attorney was arrested Wednesday after police say he fired several shots into a Beaverton office of another lawyer after an argument.
No one was injured in the Dec. 21 shooting at 14705 SW Millikan Way, but bullets nearly hit an administrative assistant at the law firm who was inside, according to a search warrant affidavit.
Erik Graeff, 42, of Vancouver, sent at least three profanity-filled emails to the other attorney about three hours before the shooting, the affidavit said. The dispute apparently began because the other lawyer, Terrence Hogan, had left Graeff a voicemail saying he didn't approve of Graeff's work on a recent civil case in Washington the two teamed together on.
Graeff responded to Hogan's voicemail with an email at 3:40 p.m., belittling the message and attached a picture of a cat playing a violin, the affidavit said. Hogan replied about a half-hour later saying Graeff will have to explain his conduct to the state bars in Oregon and Washington. Graeff is licensed to practice in both states.
Graeff replied that the idea "sounds good," that he'd be waiting and he's tougher than Hogan and both state bars, the affidavit said.
"You know where I am tough guy," Hogan wrote at 4:35 p.m., according to the court papers.
"If the traffic wasn't such [expletive], I'd be there today," Graeff emailed three minutes later.
The shooting was reported around 7 p.m. by the employee of Scott S. Kang P.C., where Hogan works, and by a witness at a nearby apartment complex who estimated hearing five gunshots, the affidavit said.
Hogan told investigators he'd known Graeff since 2009 and they'd worked together on several cases. He forwarded investigators an email Graeff sent him the day after the shooting where Graeff apologized for losing his temper, claimed he did the best he could on the Washington case and blamed Hogan for any problems with the case.
"With that off my chest merry Christmas buddy," Graeff ended the email according to the affidavit. "Don't suck too many reindeer [expletive] over the holiday."
Beaverton police said search warrants were served Wednesday at Graeff's workplace in Portland and his home in Vancouver, and investigators seized two guns and ammunition. Graeff was booked into the Washington County Jail on accusations of unlawful use of a weapon and reckless endangering.
Hogan declined comment. A woman who answered the phone at Kang's firm also declined comment, saying employees have been advised not to speak about the shooting.
The worker who was inside during the shooting told investigators she was cleaning in preparation for a new employee starting the next day when she heard something hitting metal, and then was sprayed by white powder and debris that came from the wall. She later saw two holes in a window and window shade and realized they were bullet holes, the affidavit said.
Police found at least two bullet slugs in the office, including one that hit a computer monitor, and three shell casings along Southwest Murray Boulevard outside the building, the affidavit said.
Attorney Alexzander Adams, who also works in the building, told police on Dec. 22 that he'd known Graeff since 2006. He said they went to law school together in California and once lived together, the affidavit said.
Adams told police Graeff was in the Marine Corps, was a "decorated" sniper, had a concealed handgun license and owned guns. Adams said he hadn't seen Graeff in two years.
The Oregon State Bar said there are two active complaints against Graeff. In one received in August 2017, he is accused of shoving a former client against a wall the same month. Another complaint filed Feb. 21 accuses him of improperly filing documents, among other allegations of misconduct, while he was representing the complainant last year.
The first case is being investigated by the Oregon Bar's disciplinary counsel office and the more recent case is under review, the state bar said.
-- Everton Bailey Jr.
ebailey@oregonian.com
503-221-8343; @EvertonBailey