Residents at a Southwest Houston townhome complex off Fondren say the quiet, low-key life they thought they were buying into has turned into a nerve-wracking ordeal. After months of vandalism, threats and confrontations with a neighbor, people who live there describe broken windows, repeated tire slashing and late-night shouting that has left some afraid to step outside their units. The same man was arrested again on Sunday after police say he slashed a man's tires and threatened a woman with a firearm.
According to ABC13, 39-year-old Daniel Atnafu has been arrested about 10 times in the last two years on charges that include criminal mischief and threats. The station's reporting and court records outline earlier accusations that range from hitting a dog with a wooden plank and striking a woman with a plastic pipe to brandishing a gun in view of a neighbor's doorbell camera and breaking windows. One woman told reporters her family had 13 tires cut over two years. ABC13 also reviewed court paperwork showing Atnafu received deferred adjudication in 2024, prosecutors later sought a guilty finding after an alleged probation violation and a judge imposed what the files list as a one-year term that, oddly, was set to end the same day it began.
"He's just off his rocker; he needs some help. Like mental help. He's off his rocker," neighbor Jonathan Tegegne told ABC13. After Sunday's arrest, a judge ordered Atnafu to undergo a mental health screening, according to the station's reporting and court filings. Neighbors say townhome management and officials have repeatedly told them the only real option is to call police whenever something happens, but they argue that the steady stream of calls has not stopped the fear or the property damage.
Legal context
Texas law allows judges to defer adjudication and place a defendant on community supervision instead of immediately entering a conviction. If the person violates the terms, prosecutors can then ask the court to adjudicate guilt and impose punishment. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice defines deferred adjudication as when "a judge defers further proceedings without entering an adjudication of guilt and places the defendant on community supervision." That legal framework helps explain how a 2024 deferred order could later lead to a guilty finding, but it also highlights how docket entries and judgment paperwork can end up looking bizarre or confusing to residents and reporters who read them. Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
What neighbors want and what to do next
People who live in the complex say they want stronger enforcement, court-ordered treatment for the neighbor or a change in tenancy that would remove what they see as a constant threat from their block. The Houston Police Department's reporting page notes residents should dial 9-1-1 for emergencies, use the non-emergency line or file an online report for property crimes, and they can request extra patrols through the department's alert form. For now, neighbors say they will keep documenting incidents, pushing for court action and speaking with local media until something finally gives. Houston Police Department.
