In the seemingly serene town of New Granada, Colorado, life flows smoothly around The Rec, a supervised space where teenagers can enjoy their freedom. Among them are Carl and Richie, two close friends who often hang out together. However, their idyllic days take a sharp turn when Police Sergeant Doberman, driven by suspicion, interrogates them regarding a recent freeway shooting. Although they are questioned at the station, they are ultimately released into their parents' custody.
The following day, Carl encounters Cory, a new girl in town who seems uncertain about dating. "I don't go out on dates," she states flatly. Undaunted, Carl continues to pursue her friendship. Later that evening, he heads out with Richie to a local house party. Unfortunately, their fun is cut short when the police arrive to disperse the gathering. Carl leaves alone, only to run into Mark, the actual sniper, who brutally attacks him.
Meanwhile, Carl's father is desperate to secure investments for New Granada but faces challenges from both his ambitions and Carl's rebellious spirit, which leads him to booby-trap their car. In a bid for adventure, Carl, Richie, Cory, and their friends join for a picnic, where they playfully engage in some target practice using a stolen pistol Cory had taken. Their innocent fun takes a turn when Claude reveals that he has been arrested for hash possession, sourced from Tip, a local dealer. When the group learns that Tip had informed Doberman of Claude's dealings, they boldly confront him, leading to a revengeful confrontation where Tip is unceremoniously dumped into a nearby pond, much to the dismay of his mother. Her subsequent report to the authorities only escalates the situation.
In a frantic twist, Richie steals his mother’s car to escape, but tragedy strikes when he inadvertently pulls a gun on Doberman, who is forced to shot Richie in self-defense. The day after, Carl quietly returns home and overhears his mother's conversation about a community meeting that evening. Eager to seize the moment, he alerts his friends, who decide to face their parents during the meeting. However, when police arrive, taking away their weapons, chaos erupts. The teenagers, feeling cornered, barricade the school doors, set off fireworks, and wreak havoc, even breaking into police vehicles to steal shotguns.
As the situation spirals out of control, the chaos escalates into a full-blown disturbance, igniting several vehicles and creating a fiery scene. When the reserve officers finally arrive, the kids scatter, leaving a path of destruction in their wake. Doberman confronts Carl but soon finds himself targeted by Mark, who detonates his car, resulting in a dramatic explosion. Carl narrowly escapes the wreck, leaving the injured Doberman behind amidst the flames, leading to a tragic demise.
Ultimately, Carl and his friends find themselves herded onto a school bus headed for a juvenile detention center. From an overpass, Cory and Claude wave goodbye to Carl as the bus disappears down the road, marking a harrowing chapter in their young lives.
