Get on the ground, get on the ground now!
The yelling of the command rings through a classroom at West Mesa High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico, as students rush toward the door. An Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) police officer, gun drawn, commands a 16-year-old student to get face-down on the ground.
The 18-second video, uploaded to X, has been watched over 3.2 million times in under 48 hours, raising a national controversy about school security, law enforcement, and young gun violence.
A tweet from X.
The fight was among five separate gun incidents discovered on August 20, 2025, in three of the APS campuses West Mesa High School, Albuquerque High School, and Del Norte High School. Towards the end of the school day, five guns were found and six students aged 15 and 16 were arrested and charged.
The day’s most alarming moment unfolded at West Mesa High School. According to APS, a teacher activated a Centegix emergency alert badge after overhearing a student claim he had a gun inside a bathroom.
Within minutes, APS police entered a classroom. In the video, an officer is seen aiming his firearm toward a teenage boy as other students flee. “Get on the ground!” the officer yells repeatedly before restraining the student and recovering a handgun from his backpack.
Principal Michele Torres sent an email to parents that afternoon, writing:
“We understand how frightening this was for our students and families. I want to assure you that our emergency response protocols worked, and we are grateful no one was harmed.”
Later that same day, APS officers detained a second West Mesa student in an unrelated incident after finding another gun tucked into his waistband. Both students, age 16, are now in juvenile detention.
At Albuquerque High School, administrators acted on tips from students who overheard classmates talking about firearms. Staff conducted targeted backpack searches, uncovering two handguns in separate incidents.
Both students, age 15, were detained without incident and face charges of unlawful carrying of a deadly weapon on school premises.
Police were already looking for a female Del Norte High student in connection with previous behavioral concerns when a campus aide spotted her leaving school grounds with her boyfriend.
APS police and Albuquerque Police Department (APD) officers intercepted the pair off-campus and discovered a loaded handgun. Both teenagers were taken into custody.
Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman announced a zero-tolerance policy for guns on school grounds.
“If you bring a gun onto a school campus in Bernalillo County, you will be arrested, you will be detained, and we will fight to keep you in custody until trial,”
Bregman said at a press briefing.
All six students have been booked into juvenile detention and face one-year expulsions under APS policy. No injuries were reported, and authorities say none of the students expressed intent to harm others though investigators have not ruled out further charges.
APS and APD have launched an internal review into the West Mesa incident, focusing on whether the officer’s decision to draw his weapon inside a classroom was consistent with district policy and best practices.
APS Superintendent Gabriella Blakey praised school staff for reacting quickly:
“Our systems worked exactly as they were designed to. The alerts were activated, our officers responded, and the guns were recovered without any injuries.”
APS Board President Danielle Gonzales echoed those remarks:
“This was a frightening day for our community, but it’s proof that preparation saves lives. We will continue to evaluate every tool we have to keep students safe.”
District officials confirmed they are now considering weapons detectors and enhanced entry screenings at certain schools.
While APS leaders emphasized that safety protocols worked, students and parents described a day filled with chaos and fear.
“Everyone thought it was a school shooting,”
Said Jasmin R., a West Mesa junior, who was inside the hallway during the first incident.
“People were crying and texting their parents. I’ve never been so scared.”
Maria Lopez, whose son attends Albuquerque High, said the community deserves stronger protections:
“It shouldn’t fall on the kids to be responsible for their own safety. We need safer entries, metal detectors, and improved counseling for these students.”
Some parents, however, questioned the force exerted by the officer, wondering if showing a gun to a teen made the situation unnecessarily worse. APS confirmed it is reviewing body cam footage and video of the classroom hallway.
