Shocking footage of two pajama-clad boys brandishing a loaded handgun in a standoff with Albuquerque police was released in a briefing last week detailing the comprehensive efforts undertaken to assist the family.
In video of the standoff, the boys are seen attempting to wrestle the loaded weapon from one another, fighting over who would hold it. Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office did not reveal the identities of the 7 and 9-year-old brothers, but said they have been called to the home at least 50 times, the Albuquerque Journal reported.
During the encounter with deputies, one of the boys attempted to fire the gun, but it misfired. Police fired a non-lethal round as a distraction, at which point one of the boys points the gun at deputies. Moments later, deputies rushed in to disarm the children.
No charges have been filed against the children or their guardian, and the children remain in the home, though the gun was moved, according to Deputy Deanna Aragon, a BCSO spokesperson.
"Children are our future, and we know one side is going to say, 'Lock them in jail.' They're 7 and 9 years old," Sheriff John Allen said at a Thursday press conference. "Arresting people isn't the only way out of this crisis of juvenile crime."
Instead, the BCSO Behavior Health Unit has taken a holistic approach to interventions aimed to help the family with "numerous issues they're experiencing," the program's clinical manager, Michael Lucero, explained.
Even with a team of 13, accessing services was challenging. The youngest boy did not qualify for Medicaid and could not initially be enrolled in treatment or qualify for services. Eventually they found workarounds to secure assistance that included trauma therapy, rides to appointments, parenting skills classes and grocery cards.
ABC News reported that the gun belonged to the children's father, who is currently in prison. Allen said they may at some point consider criminal charges regarding what he described as the boys' learned behavior.
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