Drone footage showed the tense moment a 7-year-old boy pointed a pistol at police in Bernalillo County, New Mexico.
The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office just released the footage Thursday, but the standoff unfolded on Feb. 16, according to KOB in Albuquerque.
Deputies that day were responding to a call at the home, which they had visited before, according to KRQE.
WARNING: The following video contains images that some may find offensive.
ALBUQUERQUE NM — A 7 and a 9 year old take cover with a loaded handgun.
Police resort to non lethal force to disarm them.
This is CRAZY. 😳 pic.twitter.com/4XvYjblJT4
— Amiri King (@AmiriKing) May 9, 2025
The footage showed two boys, reportedly 7 and 9 years old, with a single pistol.
At first, the 7-year-old had possession of the firearm.
Drone audio captured the voices of police trying to persuade the boy to put it down.
Should children be taught firearm safety?
A female voice, who called the boys by name, told them they wouldn’t be in trouble.
But when the boy wouldn’t comply, the 9-year-old forcibly took it from him and hid it behind his own back.
At some point the 7-year-old regained possession of it.
After about five minutes of confrontation, police fired a non-lethal projectile at the boys, hitting the structure behind them; the moment it struck, the boy aimed the pistol at police, who were now shouting at him to put it down.
When he still wouldn’t listen, police fired a second non-lethal round hitting near the boys, and rushed in to confiscate the firearm.
“If it was not for our drone program, we would of probably went in there a little bit more blind, and been into a deadly force confrontation pretty quick. And as you can imagine, it would have not gone well with us killing and shooting a 7- and 9-year-old,” said Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen.
The BCSO didn’t file charges after the incident, according to KQRE on Friday.
“We’re dealing with a seven- and nine-year-old, so now we’re looking at the adult side, how they had the firearm, are they gonna be charged with the Bennie Hargrove law we’re looking into all of that,” Allen said.
The Bennie Hargrove Gun Safety Act is a New Mexico law that holds gun owners accountable if children are able to access and use improperly-stored firearms.
Since the incident three months ago, the boys are getting therapy and family services, and are now on juvenile probation, according to KOB.
Their parents are also receiving therapy in addition to legal representation.
“I don’t know how much I’m able to say, so I’m just gonna leave it very vague, but we know where the children learned the behavior from and that is being addressed as well,” said Danielle Smith, the family’s case manager.
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