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32
“Arrest The Parents”: Cops Open Fire On Little Boys During Armed Standoff Carrying A Loaded Weapon
During a standoff, police deployed non-lethal weapons against two children, ages seven and nine, who refused to drop a loaded firearm
The video was captured by a Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office drone in New Mexico in February.
Trigger warning: violence, juvenile crime. Footage released on Friday (May 9) shows the two boys handling the loaded weapon in their pajamas, passing it back and forth, and hiding it behind their backs.
Highlights
- New Mexico police fired rubber bullets after two minors refused to drop a loaded weapon during a standoff.
- Authorities seized the weapon and called in the Behavioral Health Unit to intervene.
- Police stated that the weapon's owners could face consequences for failing to store the firearm responsibly.
After instructing the children to drop the weapon, the sheriff’s office said deputies fired a non-lethal weapon at the boys, allowing them to secure the area and prevent any fatalities.
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Two boys aged seven and nine years old were involved in an armed standoff with the police
Image credits: New Mexico News Port
“Put it down, babe,” a female officer can be heard telling the boys.
“You’re not in trouble, but you have to put it down and come and talk to us,” another officer said.
“Put the gun down and come and talk to me. You’re not in trouble, babe,” the female officer continued, trying to soothe the pair. “Can you please put it down so we can talk?”
The incident took place in Bernalillo County, New Mexico
Image credits: PoliceActivity
Image credits: PoliceActivity
A male officer can then be heard telling his fellow deputies to shoot at the wall to scare the children and make them drop the weapon.
“Try not to hit ’em,” he said.
“We want to help you. We don’t want to hurt you,” another officer added, before warning, “Drop it now or you’re gonna get hit!”
Footage shows the children handling a loaded weapon and being told to drop it
Image credits: PoliceActivity
Image credits: PoliceActivity
Deputies then discussed whether to rush the boys, fire a non-lethal round, or wait for an opening, noting that the children were not dropping the weapon.
They proceeded to fire two rubber bullets at the boys, who continued to hold the weapon. Then, an officer rushed in, snatched the weapon from one of the boys’ hands and successfully secured it.
Deputy Deanna Aragon said no charges have been filed against the children or their parents, and the boys have not been removed from the home. Their weapon was seized.
Deputies then fired two rubber bullets at the boys before one of them snatched the firearm from one of the boys’ hands
Image credits: PoliceActivity
The video was shared to highlight the use of the sheriff’s office’s drone technology and Behavioral Health Unit to “monitor the situation in real-time, providing critical updates and enhancing situational awareness.”
The New Mexico sheriff’s office called the case a “complex intersection of juvenile crime, mental health, and public safety.”
“Had that gun gone off, our deputies could have taken deadly force. That would not have gone well with anybody in the nation,” stated Bernalillo County Sheriff John Allen during a press conference.
Sheriff Allen shared that the two boys and their family have a documented history of trauma.
Law enforcement had reportedly been called to the children’s home at least 50 times before the incident.
Image credits: PoliceActivity
According to Sheriff Allen, the boys “were taught how to use the firearm,” and their use of the weapon was the result of “learned behavior.”
He responded to calls for stricter penalties for juvenile crime by emphasizing the young ages of those involved in the incident.
“We know one side is going to say, ‘Lock them in jail,'” Sheriff Allen said, before adding, “They’re seven and nine years old. I told you before, numerous times… I understand the frontal lobe.”
He added that, had the boys been older, “we’d probably be speaking differently.”
According to Sheriff Allen, the children “were taught how to use the firearm”
Image credits: PoliceActivity
The Sheriff concluded: “Arresting people isn’t the only way out of this crisis of juvenile crime.
“You have to look at it from a bunch of different avenues and use the resources you have – and then criminal elements can come later.
“Down the road, we will look at criminal charges – like the Benny Hargrove law – for those involved.”
The Benny Hargrove Law holds adults accountable for failing to safely and responsibly store their firearms, particularly keeping them out of the reach of minors.
To help the children, the Sheriff’s Office turned to their Behavioral Health Unit, which oversees cases involving mental illness and substance use.
Michael Lucero, the unit’s clinical manager, said that 13 experts, including paramedics, clinicians, and law enforcement, were involved in the operation to ensure the safety of both the deputies and the children.
He noted that his team is “still running into barriers” in assisting the boys and their family with the resources they need, such as trauma therapy, parenting support, and grocery cards.
For instance, he detailed how Medicaid coverage was denied to one of the children for being too young, and one of the parents, who has a history of trauma, has struggled to access treatment.
“Parents have failed these kids,” one reader commented
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What do you think ?
meeeeeeeeeeee 8 months ago (edited)
Cops Open Fire On Little Boys In Minecraft And Star Wars Pajamas After They Refuse To Drop Weapon is the current title, very misleading
Kit Black 8 months ago
If they have been out to that home multiple times, and the children have not been removed - there's only one reason. One or both of those kids has a serious chronic mental health disorder, for which the only real solution would be long term inpatient residential care. And since the only people who can afford that level of care for their children are the wealthy, this would mean that taking the children into DHS custody would make the state responsible for paying for that care. So what the state generally does is send out cops and social workers repeatedly until the kids are old enough and have committed a serious enough crime to be sent to prison.
Auntriarch 8 months ago
Yup, I don't need a crystal ball to see where this is going, poor little guys
Load More Replies...
Renee 8 months ago
Ugh, the comments that the boys need spanking or whooped. I don't understand how people think children who are in a*****e situations need more abuse. They need help and proper discipline. I hope they get the help they actually need and not the gleefully abuse some people love to do to children, to make the child live in fear because a fearful child pretends to obey.
Falafal salad 8 months ago
I’m guessing those boys have had seen of violence and abuse growing up. Getting spanked doesn’t solve this sort of thing. Having a loving stable environment might.
Load More Replies...
The_Nicest_Misanthrope 8 months ago (edited)
They've been called to the parents house 50 times and even after leaving their kids to find a LOADED GUN, they're still not arresting them? Wtf! Grow a pair and keep those boys safe ffs!
Kabuki Kitsune 8 months ago
It's because ownership of firearms is not illegal in the states. In NM, odds are that any foster family they're sent too, will also own a firearm. Looking a bit deeper into the story, we find that the primary reason the police have been called to the location the 50 odd times, is because of the boys. Specifically, because of actions the boys have taken. Juvenile records can't be accessed easily, but just a glance at calls for service, it looks like these two were something of a menace to the local neighborhood, and District Attorney Sam Bregma is at the heart of the issue. He pushed forward changes to the way juveniles are handled, making it very uncommon for juveniles to actually face punishment for their actions. Meaning these two likely should have been in the system long before any of this happened, and the DA's refusal to do anything has brought us to this point. The kids thinking they could get away with anything, because well, they've done so in the past.
Load More Replies...
Tabitha 8 months ago
History of trauma in the family—-and they return the kids to the family. His TF is that going to help them? They need to be out of that environment, put in a stable home, whether with the only good, responsible relatives they may have (some a******s are related to decent people) or in foster care (reputable foster care, ffs), and start therapy to help them unlearn the c**p their family taught them.
Lyone Fein 8 months ago
Police previously called to the home over 50 times! Maybe the children should be removed and put into foster care? Or into a mental health facility? Or maybe one of the adults should be?
Joanne Mendonza-Earle 8 months ago
They've been to that residence over 50x and the kids are still w/ the parents and charges aren't being filed against them for this? Sad to say but there is no hope for those kids.
Jonathan K. 8 months ago
I feel bad for everyone in this story. I think the p.d. did an admirable job considering what they were up against. Unfortunately, in this country, mental health has a stigma attached to it and there is very little, if any, help for adults let alone children. Maybe a church, or another religious institution could help the family? The headline is very misleading though.
ElfVibratorGlitter 8 months ago (edited)
Unless things have changed from when I actually attended church, i was told there wasn't such thing as mental health illness and I just needed to live Jesus more and have more friends in Christ. Yeah ...
Load More Replies...
Forrest Hobbs 8 months ago (edited)
Where I come from (UK), the age of criminal responsibility is fixed at 10 years old - generally considered to be too low. I doubt children of 7 and 9 years old could be held criminally responsible even in New Mexico. The issue of how they got hold of a firearm is the one that might involve someone committing a crime - but it's not the fault of the children. I can't even begin to understand why the children haven't been taken away from their parents given the seriousness of this incident.
Leg less In Minneapolis 8 months ago
The A*s Clowns that are failing to raise these boys need prison.
Lee Gilliland 8 months ago
Zeesh, obvious the parents weren't parenting much. This is the ultimate "not everyone should have kids" story.
Angela Corvaia 8 months ago
So many comments supporting more violence against these children. Poor kids never had a chance and now they are probably going to follow the same path as their parents.
Spacey Stacey 8 months ago
This says a lot about the state of The United States and the mentality of many of it's people
Kabuki Kitsune 8 months ago
It's because ownership of firearms is not illegal in the states. In NM, odds are that any foster family they're sent too, will also own a firearm. Looking a bit deeper into the story, we find that the primary reason the police have been called to the location the 50 odd times, is because of the boys. Specifically, because of actions the boys have taken. Juvenile records can't be accessed easily, but just a glance at calls for service, it looks like these two were something of a menace to the local neighborhood, and District Attorney Sam Bregma is at the heart of the issue. He pushed forward changes to the way juveniles are handled, making it very uncommon for juveniles to actually face punishment for their actions. Meaning these two likely should have been in the system long before any of this happened, and the DA's refusal to do anything has brought us to this point.
Forrest Hobbs 8 months ago
The boys are 7 and 9 years old. Because of their age, whatever's happened cannot be their fault. If the police have been called out 50 times to deal with the consequences of the behaviour of these young boys, the fault lies with the parents who have failed in their duty to raise their children properly, and also with the local authorities for failing to take appropriate action regarding the deliquent parents. Children of 7 and 9 years old are too young to be held criminally responsible. "The system" they should have been put in is the child protection system - to protect them from their deliquent parents, and to give them a decent upbringing.
Load More Replies...
CP 8 months ago (edited)
We fail to teach our children and then they grow up and have children and then we all blame the adults (for not learning as children but don't recognize that last part). If society wants better people, it needs to take an interest in kids even if the parts that don't have them.
StrangeOne 8 months ago
This should be a no-brainer. Arrest the parents and send the kids to juvenile hall.
Forrest Hobbs 8 months ago
Arrest the parents yes; but send the kids to a foster family. They're too young to be held criminally responsible.
Load More Replies... Loren wit 8 months ago
Too many people yelling directives at these babies. One person should have been put in charge of talking to them and not that whiney sounding woman. Someone with a gentle but commanding voice that knows how to talk to kids may have gotten better results. Police need better training.
Kim Peterson 8 months ago
No, they need to understand the consequences of their actions. Unfortunately they have negligent parents who should be also be in handcuffs.
Load More Replies... meeeeeeeeeeee 8 months ago (edited)
Cops Open Fire On Little Boys In Minecraft And Star Wars Pajamas After They Refuse To Drop Weapon is the current title, very misleading
Kit Black 8 months ago
If they have been out to that home multiple times, and the children have not been removed - there's only one reason. One or both of those kids has a serious chronic mental health disorder, for which the only real solution would be long term inpatient residential care. And since the only people who can afford that level of care for their children are the wealthy, this would mean that taking the children into DHS custody would make the state responsible for paying for that care. So what the state generally does is send out cops and social workers repeatedly until the kids are old enough and have committed a serious enough crime to be sent to prison.
Auntriarch 8 months ago
Yup, I don't need a crystal ball to see where this is going, poor little guys
Load More Replies... Renee 8 months ago
Ugh, the comments that the boys need spanking or whooped. I don't understand how people think children who are in a*****e situations need more abuse. They need help and proper discipline. I hope they get the help they actually need and not the gleefully abuse some people love to do to children, to make the child live in fear because a fearful child pretends to obey.
Falafal salad 8 months ago
I’m guessing those boys have had seen of violence and abuse growing up. Getting spanked doesn’t solve this sort of thing. Having a loving stable environment might.
Load More Replies... The_Nicest_Misanthrope 8 months ago (edited)
They've been called to the parents house 50 times and even after leaving their kids to find a LOADED GUN, they're still not arresting them? Wtf! Grow a pair and keep those boys safe ffs!
Kabuki Kitsune 8 months ago
It's because ownership of firearms is not illegal in the states. In NM, odds are that any foster family they're sent too, will also own a firearm. Looking a bit deeper into the story, we find that the primary reason the police have been called to the location the 50 odd times, is because of the boys. Specifically, because of actions the boys have taken. Juvenile records can't be accessed easily, but just a glance at calls for service, it looks like these two were something of a menace to the local neighborhood, and District Attorney Sam Bregma is at the heart of the issue. He pushed forward changes to the way juveniles are handled, making it very uncommon for juveniles to actually face punishment for their actions. Meaning these two likely should have been in the system long before any of this happened, and the DA's refusal to do anything has brought us to this point. The kids thinking they could get away with anything, because well, they've done so in the past.
Load More Replies... Tabitha 8 months ago
History of trauma in the family—-and they return the kids to the family. His TF is that going to help them? They need to be out of that environment, put in a stable home, whether with the only good, responsible relatives they may have (some a******s are related to decent people) or in foster care (reputable foster care, ffs), and start therapy to help them unlearn the c**p their family taught them.
Lyone Fein 8 months ago
Police previously called to the home over 50 times! Maybe the children should be removed and put into foster care? Or into a mental health facility? Or maybe one of the adults should be?
Joanne Mendonza-Earle 8 months ago
They've been to that residence over 50x and the kids are still w/ the parents and charges aren't being filed against them for this? Sad to say but there is no hope for those kids.
Jonathan K. 8 months ago
I feel bad for everyone in this story. I think the p.d. did an admirable job considering what they were up against. Unfortunately, in this country, mental health has a stigma attached to it and there is very little, if any, help for adults let alone children. Maybe a church, or another religious institution could help the family? The headline is very misleading though.
ElfVibratorGlitter 8 months ago (edited)
Unless things have changed from when I actually attended church, i was told there wasn't such thing as mental health illness and I just needed to live Jesus more and have more friends in Christ. Yeah ...
Load More Replies... Forrest Hobbs 8 months ago (edited)
Where I come from (UK), the age of criminal responsibility is fixed at 10 years old - generally considered to be too low. I doubt children of 7 and 9 years old could be held criminally responsible even in New Mexico. The issue of how they got hold of a firearm is the one that might involve someone committing a crime - but it's not the fault of the children. I can't even begin to understand why the children haven't been taken away from their parents given the seriousness of this incident.
Leg less In Minneapolis 8 months ago
The A*s Clowns that are failing to raise these boys need prison.
Lee Gilliland 8 months ago
Zeesh, obvious the parents weren't parenting much. This is the ultimate "not everyone should have kids" story.
Angela Corvaia 8 months ago
So many comments supporting more violence against these children. Poor kids never had a chance and now they are probably going to follow the same path as their parents.
Spacey Stacey 8 months ago
This says a lot about the state of The United States and the mentality of many of it's people
Kabuki Kitsune 8 months ago
It's because ownership of firearms is not illegal in the states. In NM, odds are that any foster family they're sent too, will also own a firearm. Looking a bit deeper into the story, we find that the primary reason the police have been called to the location the 50 odd times, is because of the boys. Specifically, because of actions the boys have taken. Juvenile records can't be accessed easily, but just a glance at calls for service, it looks like these two were something of a menace to the local neighborhood, and District Attorney Sam Bregma is at the heart of the issue. He pushed forward changes to the way juveniles are handled, making it very uncommon for juveniles to actually face punishment for their actions. Meaning these two likely should have been in the system long before any of this happened, and the DA's refusal to do anything has brought us to this point.
Forrest Hobbs 8 months ago
The boys are 7 and 9 years old. Because of their age, whatever's happened cannot be their fault. If the police have been called out 50 times to deal with the consequences of the behaviour of these young boys, the fault lies with the parents who have failed in their duty to raise their children properly, and also with the local authorities for failing to take appropriate action regarding the deliquent parents. Children of 7 and 9 years old are too young to be held criminally responsible. "The system" they should have been put in is the child protection system - to protect them from their deliquent parents, and to give them a decent upbringing.
Load More Replies... CP 8 months ago (edited)
We fail to teach our children and then they grow up and have children and then we all blame the adults (for not learning as children but don't recognize that last part). If society wants better people, it needs to take an interest in kids even if the parts that don't have them.
StrangeOne 8 months ago
This should be a no-brainer. Arrest the parents and send the kids to juvenile hall.
Forrest Hobbs 8 months ago
Arrest the parents yes; but send the kids to a foster family. They're too young to be held criminally responsible.
Load More Replies... Loren wit 8 months ago
Too many people yelling directives at these babies. One person should have been put in charge of talking to them and not that whiney sounding woman. Someone with a gentle but commanding voice that knows how to talk to kids may have gotten better results. Police need better training.
Kim Peterson 8 months ago
No, they need to understand the consequences of their actions. Unfortunately they have negligent parents who should be also be in handcuffs.
Load More Replies... You May Like
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