BERNALILLO COUNTY, N.M. -- Shocking video out of New Mexico shows two young children holding a loaded gun.

This video was captured by a Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office drone back in February.

In the video, the young boys, ages 7 and 9, can be seen handling the loaded gun, passing it back and forth, and hiding it behind their backs.

The sheriff's office said deputies fired a non-lethal weapon at the children, allowing them to secure the area and prevent anything further from happening.

It's unclear how the children got a hold of the gun.

The sheriff's office says it released the video to highlight the use of its drone technology and Behavioral Health Unit to "monitor the situation in real-time, providing critical updates and enhancing situational awareness."

"This technology allowed deputies to secure the area swiftly and safely, ultimately preventing a potential deadly force encounter with the juveniles," BCSO said in a release.