Boys, ages 7 and 9, seen in armed standoff receiving assistance from deputies

A New Mexico sheriff's office is defending its decision not to arrest two young boys ages and seen in drone footage in an armed standoff with deputies Video published Thursday by the Bernalillo County Sheriff s Office BCSO shows the two boys dressed in Minecraft and Star Wars-themed pajamas standing behind a covered air-conditioning unit and carrying a loaded handgun In the nearly six minutes of footage shared the children are seen looking around as if they are trying to avoid detection and capture Eventually the boys are surrounded and detained by deputies This development illustrates the complex intersection of juvenile crime mental wellness and society safety Sheriff John Allen disclosed in a comment We are taking critical strategies to close system gaps and expand our ability to work with juveniles involved in firearms or violent crimes NEW MEXICO SUPREME COURT BANS JUDGE AFTER ALLEGED TDA MEMBER ARRESTED AT HOMEThe circumstance took place on Feb but was highlighted on Thursday while BCSO showcased the work of its behavioral strength unit and a new initiative designed to address critical facility gaps in the neighborhood according to a press release Allen noted his department had been called to the home of the development dozens of times prior to the standoff due to problems with the boys and their families the Albuquerque Journal released adding that it is not known how the boys got the gun NEW MEXICO JUDGE RESIGNS AFTER ALLEGED TDA MEMBER ARRESTED AT HIS HOMEThe newspaper declared no charges have been filed against the boys and that they have not been removed from their home although the gun seen in the video was seized Children are our future and we know one side is going to say 'Lock them in jail ' They're and years old I recounted you before numerous times in numerous interviews that I understand the frontal lobe Allen noted according to the Albuquerque Journal Members of the department's behavioral vitality unit are in contact with the boys' families providing every recourse manageable to assist the children involved a BCSO sergeant narrated Fox News Digital BCSO commented its drone allowed deputies to secure the area swiftly and safely ultimately preventing a prospective deadly force encounter with the juveniles