Brave Grandmother Defends Home and Grandchild from Intruder

In the quiet evening hours of a regular Friday night in New Mexico, a grandmother’s peaceful time with her 4-year-old grandson was interrupted by an unexpected and direful situation. An auto theft suspect, on the run from the law, had found his way into her home.

The Albuquerque police had been hot on the heels of a stolen truck they tried to stop near Central and Cypress around 8 p.m. According to details shared with the Albuquerque Journal, the authorities had used spike strips to punch the vehicle’s tires, causing the truck to limp “on its rims” and eventually crash into a curb near Candelaria and Rio Grande NW.

The driver, however, managed to escape and slipped into the neighborhood, prompting police to set up a perimeter to search the area. Meanwhile, inside a nearby home, a grandmother, whose identity has been withheld for her protection, sensed an intruder in her house.

“She heard someone inside her home,” the Albuquerque Journal reported, based on the criminal complaint filed in Metropolitan Court.

The woman, understandably startled and concerned for her grandson, confronted the intruder. He “appeared to be angry” and demanded her keys. Although she considered arming herself, she noted later to the police that she was unsure if she’d have time to utilize the weapon should the intruder also display a firearm.

According to the report, she led the intruder to a “bowl of keys” in her kitchen. The man hastily grabbed a number of keys and exited the scene. However, the danger was far from over.

The grandmother, showing quick thinking and courage, rushed to secure a firearm. She moved her grandson into a bedroom, hoping to shield him from the imminent danger. Yet, in a heart-stopping moment, she found the intruder back in her hallway. He was “demanding more keys,” the Albuquerque Journal cited from the complaint.

The situation was escalating rapidly. “She pointed the gun at the intruder and told him to get out,” but the man, defiant and desperate, began to approach her instead. The grandmother, fearing for her life and that of her grandchild, made the difficult choice to protect herself, shooting the intruder once.

Later, in her recount of the ordeal to the police, she shared that the shot man fell to the ground and began “crawling through the halls asking for water.” Showing remarkable restraint and humanity, the woman “put pressure on his wound until police arrived,” as per the Journal’s report.

Following the incident, the woman dialed 911 around 9:30 p.m. The officers arrived on the scene and detained the suspect, later identified as 32-year-old Joseph Rivera. The brave grandmother gave the officers the gun she had used.

According to the Albuquerque Journal, Rivera has been charged with burglary, attempted burglary, and auto theft. He will be transferred to jail once he receives clearance from the hospital. As terrifying as the situation was, the grandmother’s swift thinking and determination ensured her and her grandchild’s safety, providing a stark reminder of the importance of being prepared for any situation.

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