A shocking incident has led to the arrest of a U.S. Army sergeant, who was captured on a doorbell camera assaulting a young child. The footage, which surfaced earlier this month, shows 29-year-old Paul Thames engaged in a disturbing act of violence against a 3-year-old boy.

According to a report by KWTX, Thames faces charges of injury to a child after the video began to circulate widely on social media platforms. The arrest warrant details how Thames was seen grabbing the toddler by the neck and delivering multiple blows to the child’s back with what authorities describe as “excessive force.” Additionally, the warrant states that Thames placed his hands over the child’s mouth during the assault.

The video captures the child’s cries, to which Thames responds with the question, “Are you going to stop playing?” This alarming interaction led to Waco Police bringing Thames in for questioning. During his interrogation, Thames reportedly confessed to striking the boy because the child was reluctant to practice his ABCs. Thames claimed he took the boy outside for what he described as “discipline,” without informing the child’s mother, who was inside the apartment at the time.

As the child cries in pain, Thames demands, “Are you going to stop playing?”

Waco Police brought Thames in for questioning, and he told detectives he beat the boy because he didn’t want to work on his ABCs. He said he took the toddler outside for the “discipline” while the boy’s mother was working inside the apartment. He said he did not tell her he beat her son.

The warrant says that Thames “admitted to going overboard and understood that what he did was not right” and apologized to the toddler.

“The only reason this offense was known to have occurred was based on the video provided,” the warrant says.

The toddler was treated and released at a Waco hospital for pain in his neck.

The victim was treated at a Waco hospital due to pain on his neck, according to the warrant. Police say he was seen by medical personnel and released.

The 1st Cavalry Division of the US Army said that Thames is stationed at Fort Hood, formerly Fort Cavazos.

“We are aware of the arrest of Sgt. Paul Thames for abuse of a child,” a division spokesperson said in an emailed statement. “The 1st Cavalry Division is in communication with law enforcement. We are disgusted by the video that has been posted. The behavior of Sgt. Thames does not reflect the values of the 1st Cavalry Division or the U.S. Army.”