Gainesville man arrested after breaking through wall and assaulting 15-year-old girl in her family's apartment, police say

A Gainesville man allegedly forced his way through a closet wall and violently attacked a 15-year-old girl in her apartment, alarming neighbors and prompting a rapid police response that likely saved the teen's life.

Callers witnessed a man dragging a teenage girl by her hair and hitting her repeatedly while she was screaming during the struggle.

As officers arrived on scene, they witnessed the active assault and intervened, immediately separating the primary aggressor and the victim. 

Obed Reyes, a 29-year-old male out of Gainesville, Georgia, was arrested.

Preliminary investigation determined that Reyes broke into the victim's apartment by breaking through a closet wall from the neighboring apartment. Records indicate Reyes is also a resident of the same apartment complex, but the parties are not known to each other.

The victim, a 15-year-old female, was home with her 5-year-old and 7-year-old family members when Reyes violently made entry into the residence after breaking a hole in the wall between the apartments. Reyes allegedly grabbed her by the hair and started to punch her multiple times.

Police say the victim courageously fought for her life and escaped to the breezeway of the apartment, screaming for help as Reyes continued to assault her. 

During the assault, Reyes allegedly threatened to rape the victim.

Reyes was charged with burglary, aggravated assault, attempted rape, kidnapping, and cruelty to children. He was transported to the Hall County Jail without further incident.

"I commend the witnesses' quick response of calling 911 to get our officers there in time to prevent further torment and trauma of the victim. 'See something, say something' goes a long way in our community, and we are grateful to have a community that looks out for each other. Our officers did an excellent job removing a violent criminal off the streets, and that was just the beginning."

Gainesville police say the victim has a long road to recovery following the incident.