Police say a 21-year-old man was arrested after the attack and remains in jail as of Wednesday.
FORT WORTH, Texas — A 77-year-old woman who uses a wheelchair pulled herself across a floor littered with broken glass to flee her south Fort Worth apartment after a man burst inside late Monday, police and neighbors said. Officers later arrested a 21-year-old suspect following a struggle.
The attack, reported around 10 p.m. on Dec. 1, left the woman bruised and shaken, but alive. Fort Worth police identified the suspect as Cristian Mendez and said he is accused of forcing his way into more than one apartment before beating the victim. The case has rattled residents at the senior living complex and prompted a stepped-up patrol presence while detectives review calls, video and witness statements. Mendez was booked on burglary and attempting to take an officer’s weapon, authorities said.
Neighbors said the night began with pounding on doors in the hallway and a commotion next door. Inside her unit, the victim, June Gruebel, awoke to the sound of her own door being struck. She told reporters she could not stand, and the intruder shoved her to the floor. “I kept screaming, ‘Help me!’” she said, recalling how chairs and a table were hurled at her as punches and kicks landed. With blood on the tile and glass scattered across the room, Gruebel decided she had one choice: get out. She rolled onto her side and dragged herself toward the doorway, scraping across shards to reach the stoop while a neighbor dialed 911.
Responding officers encountered the suspect in the area and took him into custody after he resisted, according to police. During the brief struggle, investigators said Mendez tried to grab an officer’s firearm before he was restrained. The arrest ended a frantic few minutes for residents who reported patio furniture tossed about and doors battered open. Gruebel, whose arms and back were marked by deep bruises, said she prayed throughout the assault and kept moving even when she thought she might pass out. “I had to get out,” she said. “As long as I was outside, I thought I could live.”
Authorities said Mendez is believed to have forced entry into two apartments before the assault inside Gruebel’s living room. Police did not immediately release a detailed timeline but confirmed the call originated from the 6100 block of Community Lane in south Fort Worth. Detectives collected statements from at least one neighbor who reported seeing patio furniture thrown and then spotting Gruebel crawling out her door. Officers also took photographs of broken glass, overturned kitchen chairs and a small table that residents said had been tossed. The department said it is still determining whether additional charges will be filed and whether drugs or alcohol played a role.
Gruebel’s account includes specific details of items thrown, including frozen food from her refrigerator. She said the intruder knocked her to the ground and kept “finding things to throw” as she begged him to stop. In interviews, she showed extensive bruising but declined a hospital stay beyond initial treatment, neighbors said. Police have not released information about her long-term injuries. The complex houses older adults and people with mobility challenges; residents said they have asked management about locks and lighting but did not report prior incidents of similar violence this year. The department said uniformed patrols would remain visible through the week while investigators canvass for doorbell camera footage.
Fort Worth has faced a string of high-profile crimes targeting vulnerable residents in recent years, but police emphasized that home-invasion assaults inside secured senior complexes remain relatively rare. Still, Monday’s case drew quick attention because the victim could not walk and had to crawl through debris to survive. The 6100 block sits near arterial roads connecting several neighborhoods on the city’s south side. Residents said they were familiar with late-night noise but not with door-smashing or a neighbor screaming for help in the hallway. Several said the speed of the 911 response likely prevented worse harm once the suspect left the unit.
Mendez remained in the Tarrant County jail on Wednesday on counts of burglary and attempting to take an officer’s weapon. Police said detectives would present their findings to prosecutors once interviews and evidence reviews are complete. Any charging decisions beyond the initial counts will be made by the district attorney’s office. Investigators planned to return to the complex this week to conduct additional walkthroughs and verify whether any entry points were damaged elsewhere on the property. No court date had been posted by midafternoon. Police said they would release updates on case status and whether additional victims have come forward.
Residents described a tense, confusing scene in the minutes before sirens filled the block. One neighbor said he saw a man “throwing patio furniture” and realized “he was up to no good,” so he called police. He later saw Gruebel on her hands and knees at the threshold. Another neighbor said officers moved quickly once they arrived, yelling commands before the arrest. Gruebel, still in pain, tried to find a glimpse of humor, noting that a thrown jar of mayonnaise missed her. “I can’t fight like I used to,” she said, “but I’ll fight any way I can.”
As of late Wednesday, the suspect remained jailed and detectives were still gathering video and statements. Police said the next public update could come after evidence submissions and charging reviews later this week.
Author note: Last updated December 3, 2025.