Heart-stopping moment hero grandma, 45, shoots intruder who burst into her home while she was watching Taylor Swift movie with young granddaughter and attacked her

A New Mexico grandmother is being hailed as a hero for shooting a burglar who burst into her home and attacked her while she watched a Taylor Swift movie with her granddaughter.

Anissa Tinnin, 45, was thrilled that her granddaughter was spending the night at her Albuquerque home. She planned to take the little girl to school the next morning.

The duo ate, bathed and cuddled on the couch while watching Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour film.

“We were drinking popcorn and M&Ms, dancing and singing along, when suddenly our lives changed,” Tinnin wrote on Facebook as she recounted the evening of March 21.

But things took a terrifying and violent turn when a man Tinnin had never seen before burst through the front door. The grandmother would later learn that he had jumped the property’s fence and that his every move had been captured on a Ring camera.

The man, 32-year-old Joseph Rivera, was fleeing police when he jumped the fence on Tinnin’s property and entered her home.

Rivera demanded the woman hand over the keys to her expensive Range Rover Sport and threatened to harm her granddaughter if she didn’t comply

“I jumped over this couch and we met right there at the front door,” Tinnin said KRQE.

‘Then he grabbed me, was angry and told me to give him my keys. He said he didn’t want to go to jail. He did indeed threaten to hurt my granddaughter and me.”

Unbeknownst to her, the man, 32-year-old Joseph Rivera, was a convicted felon with a lengthy criminal record. He was chased by police moments before he burst into Tinnin’s house and broke in in an attempt to evade detection.

Once inside Tinnin, he demanded she hand over the keys to her Range Rover Sport.

As Tinnin frantically searched for her keys, she called 911. ‘I told him not to hurt us, that I would do whatever he wanted. I would give him keys and money, whatever it took,” she explained.

Rivera eventually grabbed a key fob and walked to the car, and Tinnin began pleading with the 911 operator.

‘This man came into my house and tried to take my car. Please help me,” she pleaded in a released recording of the conversation.

Rivera was charged with burglary, attempting to commit a crime and auto theft, and was ordered to remain behind bars on Thursday

Tinnin opened fire when the man returned to the house. She administered first aid and stayed with him until police arrived

“I’ll give you water, but if you hurt me I’ll shoot you again,” Tinnin is heard saying in a released 911 call

The 32-year-old has a lengthy criminal record with five previous felony convictions

She instructed her granddaughter to stay in a bedroom while the little girl whimpered and repeatedly assured her, “It’s okay, honey.” It’s alright.’

Tinnin then grabbed her gun. As sirens sounded in the distance, Rivera returned and this time kicked in the door.

‘Go back, go back. I have a gun. Come back. Come back. I will fucking shoot you,” Tinnin shouted before opening fire.

“Why did you shoot me?” Rivera asked.

“Because you’re in my damn house!” said the grandmother.

Then she came to the man’s aid, applied pressure to the wound and told him she would help under one condition: “I’ll give you water, but if you fucking hurt me, I’m going to shoot you.” again.’

Police say Rivera was seen driving a stolen car around 9:30 p.m. After hitting spike strips, he continued driving before crashing the vehicle and running away.

Rivera was dragged out in handcuffs by officers and taken to a local hospital. At the time, he was in custody for a July 2023 case in which he was found in a stolen car with fentanyl, cocaine and heroin, according to court records.

A judge ordered Rivera to remain behind bars during a court appearance Thursday.

“I would like him to be held as completely as possible. I definitely don’t want the DA’s office to give him a plea deal. He belongs in jail,” Tinnin said.

More than a month later, her granddaughter still struggles with memories of that night. She has developed a fear of the dark and constantly asks her mother if the doors are locked and the alarm is set.

On Facebook, Tinnin blasted the city of Alburquerque for allowing offenders free rein.

“This city is a mess,” she wrote. ‘Criminals ruin the lives of innocent people every day. “I am tired of being silent about the disaster this city’s leadership has created.”

Rivera is charged with burglary, attempted commission of a crime and auto theft. These are in addition to five previous felony convictions.