Salinas man looking for ex-girlfriend fires shots into occupied home

A man demanding to see his ex-girlfriend fired shots into the door of a Salinas home this morning as the terrified family - who had never heard of the girlfriend - cowered in a corner, police said.

Rene Urritia, 36, was arrested and booked into Monterey County Jail on suspicion of shooting into an inhabited dwelling, according to police.

The case began when Urritia allegedly began knocking on the door of a home on the 100 block of North Madeira Avenue around 8 a.m., police said. He demanded to see his ex-girlfriend.

The homeowners had never heard of Urritia's girlfriend, police said. However, the suspect refused to believe them and demanded to check for himself, according to police.

The residents wouldn't let him in, and he walked to his house across the street and allegedly grabbed his 9 mm handgun, police said.

Returning to his neighbors' home, he broke a window, pounded on the door and fired around five rounds into the door.

The family was uninjured, police said.

After officers arrived and were talking to the family, they saw Urritia step outside his house and arrested him without incident, according to police.

Urritia allegedly admitted to shooting the door, police said. He said he just wanted to find his girlfriend, according to police.

The suspect told officers where his gun was and allowed the officers to retrieve it, according to police.