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They're playing with the gun back and forth. >> Chilling drone footage captures two young brothers, just seven and 9 years old, seemingly unaware of the danger they're in as they pass a handgun back and forth like it's a toy. Deputies surround them, unsure if the weapon is loaded or the safety is off. The stakes are high and one wrong move could bring the entire standoff to a deadly end. >> Put it Put it down. Put it down. Put it down. >> Now, >> the following is based on official police records. Please note that all persons charged with a crime are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. In Albuquerque, New Mexico, on the afternoon of February 16th, 2025, 37year-old Melissa Padilla makes an urgent call to 911. >> Tell me exactly what happened. >> Um, well, I had my boys helping me clean the stuff that they were throwing out of the car last night. Officers were here last night as well cuz they, you know, took off and, um, they found a gun and, uh, they have it and they jumped the fence and they have it with them. >> What kind of firearm was it? It's I believe it's a nine white and black. They're like a compacted small mini. It's like it's tiny. Yeah. I told them to give it to me and they wouldn't. So, I came inside to get my phone and yeah, they took off out of >> seven and Bernal Leo County deputies quickly respond to the scene and discuss how to proceed. >> How do you want to approach this? Because they're probably barricaded in that trailer in the back, but we don't know that that firearm is not loaded. Do you have you been here before? >> Yes. And they're 1040. They barricaded. Um they're very empty. >> 10 and seven, I believe. >> Can the CP confirm that the firearm is not loaded? >> No control over them. >> If you've been out with them before, I'll follow you and I'll just bring a 40. I don't think shooting a kid's on anyone's agenda. >> Well, no, of course. >> Where is the little boy running? So, I saw one just run that way. >> They're probably They're probably in the right back in the salute cuz they know that there's a rope back there. >> Melissa describes the children to deputies, stating that 9-year-old Shawn is wearing Star Wars pajamas while his little brother, 7-year-old Eugene, is dressed in a Minecraft theme set. When a deputy notices something on the ground near their feet, the situation takes a turn for the worse. from last night probably this No, I won't touch it. I'm a felon. I can't. But I was Yeah, >> there are unspent rounds on the ground where we are. >> So, there is a possibility that they have ammunition. >> Was there any issue happening >> before this? And then um they started fighting with each other and I I told my son Sean not to freaking be doing that. And then after they got mad and then they locked the door on me cuz at first they were just we were cleaning it up. >> So they were fighting with each other. >> Yes. >> Was anybody chasing the other one with the firearm? Who had the firearm? The one that was mad or the other one? >> Uh Eugene had the firearm. The seven-year-old. >> And was he the mad one? >> No. Sean was the mad one. >> Sean was the mad one. >> Mhm. >> Sean's the one that got the gun pointed at him on on the n. >> According to a press interview, deputies had been to this residence no fewer than 56 times for domestic related calls. Just one week earlier. Melissa's ex-boyfriend, Gabriel Royal, was arrested and charged with multiple offenses, including child abuse, assault with a deadly weapon, and negligently leaving firearms accessible to minors. The weapon, now in the children's hands, is believed to belong to Gabriel, and the mother claims to have no idea was hidden in the car where the two ultimately found it. While Melissa remains at the residence with two other children in her care, deputies begin searching the area for any sign of Shawn and Eugene. It doesn't take long before the boys are spotted. >> I see a 10:30 running in the property directly to the south of where I'm at. So on Black Mesa Loop, it's going to be a house with a silver roof, yellow stuckle. He just ran to the east. >> Deputies close in on the location from all sides and find the two brothers standing behind an air conditioning unit. >> Leave the gun there, buddy. Just keep your hands up and come here. >> It's okay. You're not in trouble. Hey, put your hands up, dude. Put your hands up now. >> Put him up now. >> I have a visual on this side. The 1030 with the orange has something in his hand. >> All you got to do is drop it, dude. That's it. >> 254, you have a female running up behind you. >> Stay on that side. They have it in their hand. Okay, just stay there. >> Having heard the shouting, Melissa makes her way toward the scene. She stays back for now, but with her children in mortal danger, she won't remain on the sidelines for long. >> They just pointed it upward. >> Drop the gun, bro. >> Buddy, drop it. >> Drop the gun, man. >> I have it. >> Okay. >> Put it >> Stop. >> Put it on the ground. >> Put it on the ground and put your hands up. >> Put it right there. 258's going to have 40 >> and 234 is taser. >> Hey, put it down. Put your hands up. >> A drone is deployed, giving deputies a clear visual on the children as they move in. Their worst fears are realized as the footage reveals 9-year-old Shawn holding a gun in his right hand. And >> he's refusing. >> Hey, Carol, can you guys drop that and come talk to me? behind cover. >> Just go ahead and drop that. >> Put it down, babe. Go ahead and put it down for me. Okay. >> You're not in trouble, but we have to drop that and come talk to us. All right. >> See if there's a magazine inside the magazine. Well, >> put it down, baby. >> They're playing with the gun back and forth. The one in the blue is trying to take it from the one in the orange. >> Put it down. >> And now the kid in the blue and green has a firearm. >> I told you to put it down, baby. Let's not do that, boy. >> Let's not do that. Let's take our hand off, buddy. Let's put it on the ground. >> He said he has his helmet. >> Hey, guys. >> Has a shield. You need one. Someone else come back. >> Put your hand down and come and talk to me. It's okay. You're not in trouble, buddy. >> Just put it down, babe. >> We'll show you how. I know. Can you put it down for me? >> Just put it down. >> You're not going to be in trouble. Okay. >> Just put on the ground, bud. Come talk to us. >> You're not in trouble. >> Can you put on the ground for me? >> The one in the blue and the green. >> It's going to be in his left hand. He does have his finger on the trigger right now. >> Hey, >> put it down. Don't do that. Put it down, baby. >> Coming up to you guys. >> Okay, >> Eugene, >> put it down, babe. >> Can you 40 on that side? If so, I go 40. >> Just >> wait. Let's try to keep talking with them. >> Wow. Just watch. There's a female coming up. >> Eugene, put it down, babe. Okay. Can you put it down for me so we could talk? Can you do that for me? Cuz you're doing a really good job right now. So, if you could just put it down, I would appreciate that. >> He has the firearm upside down now. He's no longer got a finger on the trigger. >> I would go ahead and pull him knock. >> What I want you to do is I want you to hit beside them. >> Hit the wall. >> I want you to hit the wall. Hey, put that just keep it down. >> I want you to hit the wall. Hit the fence. >> Going to hit the wall. >> Hey, you got to do what he says. >> I want you to hit this fence right here. >> We have speed with these kids. >> Sean, can you put it down, babe? >> Hold on a second. Give it a second. >> Kiddos, just drop that and come talk to us. You're not in trouble. >> Yeah, that's for We tried to talk them down. They're refusing to put the gun down >> if you can ricochet on the bottom of that wall into their feet. >> Put the cannon. If he puts the cannon down, will you put it down? >> Okay. >> Put the gun down and we'll throw you the cannon. >> He's not going to shoot you, babe. Put it down. >> Okay. He's going to put it down now. He's throw He's facing it down now. You put the gun down. >> Okay. Come on, Sean. Let's Let's listen. Okay, babe. We don't want to hurt you, honey. >> I'm taking it down. >> Can you put it on the floor? >> It's still going to be right by you, but if you put it down on the floor, then he could keep his cannon down. >> I have it down. >> But put it on the floor. >> Ready? >> Just wait. Stand by. >> Sooner you put that down, the sooner we could take you home. >> Let me go see your mom. >> Sean, this isn't a game no more. We're not playing a game right now. This is serious. speaking with 254. >> I need you to put that down. >> We want to help you, Sean. You tell me what you need after you put it down and I'll make sure that we get you some whatever you need. Okay, >> we're just going to wait for a second. >> Can you do that for me? >> Well, your mom gave me your names backwards then. >> All right, then. Eugene, >> can you put it down for me >> now? Sean have it. Sean, can you just toss it to the side, babe? Let's make this easy. >> Cuz we want to help you hang. >> We want to help you. >> I want to try to do a warning something. >> Put it down. We don't want to hurt you. Okay. >> I just don't want to. >> Put it down, Sean. >> I really don't want to kid right now. >> We don't want to hurt you and we want to help you. Okay. >> Put it down, baby. >> 40 going out. 40 40. >> The non-lethal round collides with the air conditioning unit, startling both boys. In a shocking move, 9-year-old Shawn aims the firearm towards deputies and plunges the entire scene into utter chaos. >> Put it down. Put it down. Put it down. >> Taser. Taser. Taser. >> Drop it. >> Drop it. >> Drop the gun. >> Put it down. Did Green has it? up the gun. >> Fearing her children have been caught in a crossfire, Melissa bolts toward the scene and is intercepted by nearby deputies. >> Stay back. Stay back. It's less legal. It's less legal. Stop. Stop. Stop it. >> Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. Stop it. >> Record this. >> Well, they're kid. >> We didn't shoot them. >> We got that then. >> Less than lethal. It was a a >> as the boys take cover behind the AC unit. A deputy flanks from the other side, determined to bring this standoff to an end. >> Drop it now. Drop it. >> I don't even have a gun. >> I don't have the gun. >> 104. >> All kids are 104. They are fine. They are not dead. No, I'm not going to go with handguns. >> For what? I didn't do >> You're acting. Stop. >> No, it was my kids. >> I don't want to use force on you. Stop. >> Okay, then put my hands. But I didn't do >> You didn't do nothing. I'm not telling you anything. >> But my babies are in the house. >> Stop it. >> I just picked me. Those are my kids. >> Don't you [Music] do this? >> We're trying to just deescalate the situation. As one deputy inspects the gun, a chilling reality sets in. >> It's loaded with one in the chamber. >> Jesus Christ. >> Come on, kid. >> Silly. >> Seriously, we got to do something about this. >> In addition to the bullet in the chamber, there are two more live rounds in the magazine. In a later press release, authorities would reveal that Shawn pulled the trigger while it was aimed at deputies, but the gun failed to fire. Nearby, Melissa continues to panic, and a deputy once again reassures her that her children are alive. >> How come I don't hear them then? Talk. Look, this is what they shot him with right here. Look. Right here, he's right here. It's a big old bubble. >> I want you to feel it. Feel it. It's a bubble. Feel it. That's what they shot him with. The deputy contacts her supervisor to update them on the situation. Okay. >> And I think they need to be put in custody at this point. Mom has This is not the first event. It's just escalated. The last one is they barricaded with a stick and said they were going to stab 34s. Um Alfred >> there was one in the chamber. >> Yeah, I told him that. Um so I think that it's just escalated at this point. Mom has said last time that she needs help and she cannot handle them. Um and I think they need a 72 So, as you probably know, CFD is coming out. Okay. >> Well, yeah. Well, and so is Danielle, too. >> I'm glad that everybody's okay. Do me a favor, though. Future reference. >> Our last thing we want to do is hurt them. But when you're jumping fences and distracting us over here, we can't put your children's safety first. >> Yeah, but I'm not going to do nothing to you guys. >> So, we have to watch that. So, do me a favor. Just stay. >> I ask you guys for help. I wouldn't do nothing. But we can't we can't like worry about what's happening with you because then you're in our crossfire. >> I get you. I get you. >> We don't want to hurt anybody. But we need to make sure their safety is paramount and we can't do that when we're running after you two. >> Okay. >> I heard something and I freaked out. What do you want me to do? What did you want me to do? >> I know. But all we do when we come out here is we want to help you. We've tried. >> So I've been trying to get help, too. >> I know. I'm I know. I know you've asked. I know. >> The two brothers are placed in separate cruisers. Deputies then check on the well-being of the younger children Melissa left unattended inside the house when she ran out. Just as it seems the worst is over, deputies deliver news that leaves Melissa reeling. >> So, here's the deal with today. >> What? What' you say? >> Here's the deal with today. You're going to jail. Okay. >> For what? >> Obstruction. >> What do you mean? I didn't do anything wrong. >> You ran and I had to stop for >> No, I was making sure my kids were okay. >> You're going to jail. You're going to jail. No. >> A victim's advocate who'd been working with the family arrives and tries to call Melissa, but she's overwhelmed and continues to plead for her release. >> Not my babies. Sir, I didn't do nothing wrong. I just heard a shot and I didn't know. It was a mom just having a reaction. >> Paramedics examined the two boys who were not injured during the incident. Though deputies deployed tasers and non-lethal rounds, none of them made contact with the children. Agents with CYFD as well as the special victim's unit each arrived at the scene shortly after. Each boy was individually interviewed and a clinician determined that both required immediate mental health evaluations. According to police reports, 9-year-old Shawn was admitted to the UNM psychological hospital and placed on a 72-hour hold. 7-year-old Eugene was evaluated and later discharged into the care of his grandmother. In a press interview, Bernalo County Sheriff John Allen confirmed that no criminal charges have yet been filed against the children or the mother. According to multiple news sources, authorities have instead focused on providing the family with therapy referrals, behavioral health evaluations, medical aid, and grocery assistance. If you'd like to see select new videos early and help us keep uncovering case files that rarely come to light, you'll find extra footage and unseen details on our Patreon. Channel memberships here on YouTube also include early access to select new

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