A frustrated substitute teacher in New York threatened to shoot up a classroom full of middle school students, then voluntarily confessed what he said to school officials, police said.

Alejandro Rocha, 52, was teaching an art class Wednesday at Intermediate School 5, the Walter Crowley School, in Maspeth Queens, when he became angry at the class.

“If you won’t do as you’re told, I’m gonna shoot you — and yes, I have a gun,” he told the nine kids, all between ages 11 and 12, sources said.

None of the children made a complaint about his threat.

Instead, Rocha told on himself.

He volunteered what he said to a supervisor, said it was a bad joke and that he was sorry, sources said.

The apology landed him in cuffs. Police charged him Wednesday night with making a terrorist threat.

Rocha, who lives in Sunnyside, was awaiting arraignment in Queens Criminal Court.

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Angie McBrayer, ex-wife of James Aaron McBrayer, leans her head on her son Sam McBrayer as she and her three children and two grandchildren (from left) Jackson McBrayer, 3, Piper Jae McBrayer, 7, Katy Isaza, and Jordan McBrayer, visit the grave of James McBrayer, Thursday, November 20, 2025, in Tifton. He died after being restrained by Tift County sheriff's deputies on April 24, 2019. His ex-wife witnessed the arrest and said she thought the deputies were being rough but did not imagine that McBrayer would die. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC