The peaceful movie night with her granddaughter was abruptly interrupted when a runaway criminal burst into the New Mexico grandmother’s home. She bravely defended herself and her family, earning praise as a hero.
Just before chaos ensued, Tinnin and her 4-year-old grandchild were joyfully singing and dancing along to the Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour concert film.
She fondly described the evening with her granddaughter as ‘extra special,’ mentioning that they had a meal together and enjoyed baths before settling down on the couch to watch the movie.
“We had our popcorn and M&M’s dancing and singing along when our lives were about to suddenly change,” Tinnin wrote on Facebook.
Amidst the chaos, a stranger, later identified as 34-year-old Joseph Rivera by the police, forcefully burst through the door in a frantic attempt to evade law enforcement. The Albuquerque police had been pursuing Rivera after he was allegedly caught driving a stolen car that night. Despite spike strips being deployed to halt him, Rivera persisted, driving on the rims of the vehicle until he ultimately crashed.
“I jumped over this couch and we met there by the front door … That’s when he grabbed me and was upset and said to give him my keys. He said he didn’t want to go to jail. He did threaten to hurt my granddaughter and me,” Tinnin recalled to KRQE.
Despite her efforts to calm the alleged criminal, the 45-year-old grandmother ultimately surrendered the key fob to him, hoping it would prompt him to leave her home.
“I told him to not hurt us, that I would do whatever he wanted. I would give him keys, money, whatever it took,” said Tinnin.
The moment he headed for the car, Tinnin made a 911 call, during which she comforted her young grandchild and instructed to hide in the bedroom.
Tinnin can be heard saying between the girl’s cries, “I need you to be really brave right now. I got to go. Stay right here in the bedroom … It’s okay baby.”
“As he heard police sirens approaching the home, he returned and burst through the locked front door, charging at Tinnin despite her pleas to stop. The fearless grandmother had grabbed her gun in anticipation.
“Get back. get back. I have a gun. Get back. Get back. I will f–king shoot you,” Tinnin warned moments before pulling the trigger.
After being wounded, Rivera asked why she fired, and her response was blunt: ‘Because you’re in my house!’
After shooting Rivera, Tinnin offered to assist with his gunshot wound and provided him with water. However, she made it clear that she would not hesitate to shoot him again if he attempted any further tricks. The police arrived shortly afterward and took Rivera from the home.
“I do believe we had a guardian angel here with us and I do firmly believe that God was watching over us,” said Tinnin.
Rivera faced charges of burglary, attempted felony, and auto theft, in addition to having five prior felony convictions related to previous burglaries and auto thefts.
At the time of his most recent arrest, he had an outstanding prior charge. However, he failed to appear in court when the judge granted him bail.
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