A Las Cruces man was federally charged after posting a social media threat to shoot up a school; a firearm and ammunition were seized, authorities say.
Las Cruces, NM — December 24, 2025 — A Las Cruces man has been charged in federal court after allegedly posting a social media threat about a school shooting, and authorities seized a loaded firearm and ammunition during the investigation, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico.
According to court documents, on December 17, 2025, the FBI received an emergency disclosure from TikTok related to a livestream comment threatening to “shoot up a school” and kill children. Investigators traced the threat to a residence in Las Cruces linked to 25-year-old Dion Lee Torres through the TikTok account, Google account information, and IP address.
When Las Cruces Police Department officers responded to the residence, they observed Torres and confirmed he was in possession of a loaded firearm. Based on the credible threat, law enforcement obtained an Extreme Risk Firearms Protection Order and seized a loaded handgun, three fully loaded magazines, and ammunition including armor-piercing rounds.
Torres is now charged with possession of a firearm by a person who is an unlawful user of a controlled substance, and he will remain in custody pending trial. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in federal prison for the current offense.
The case was announced by Acting U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Albuquerque Field Office. The FBI’s Las Cruces Resident Agency investigated the threat with assistance from the Las Cruces Police Department, and Assistant U.S. Attorney James Dickens is prosecuting the case.
All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Reports are sourced from official documents, law-enforcement updates, and credible investigations.
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