Armed man arrested after threatening construction workers and refusing to surrender in Eugene neighborhood

Eugene, OR – On February 12, at approximately 3:30 p.m., Eugene Police responded to a report from construction workers in the 100 block of Sunshine Acres. The workers stated that 59-year-old Michael Gordon Graham approached them, pointed a handgun at them, and ordered them to leave the area.

In response, EPD established a perimeter around Graham’s residence to ensure public safety. Officers made several attempts to contact him, but were unsuccessful. Given the potential threat of Graham being armed, the BearCat armored vehicle was deployed for cover, and additional resources, including the Drone Team, K9 unit, and Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT), were called in.

Despite multiple attempts to communicate with Graham, it wasn’t until CNT reached him by phone that a dialogue began. During the call, Graham refused to exit his home and threatened to shoot officers who entered. At 6:30 p.m., EPD SWAT was activated after a warrant to search the residence was granted by a Lane County Circuit Court judge. The negotiator continued communication with Graham for over two hours, successfully de-escalating the situation. At 7:46 p.m., Graham voluntarily exited the home.

Though Graham was initially non-compliant with the arresting officers, two 40mm less-than-lethal rounds were used to safely take him into custody. Firearms were seized from his residence, and Graham was booked into Lane County Jail on charges of menacing and unlawful use of a weapon.