The suspect in the barbaric beating of a 3-year-old boy caught on a Ring doorbell camera is an active Army sergeant, according to his “disgusted” bosses.
Paul Thames — who was charged with third-degree felony injury to a child — is a sergeant with the 1st Cavalry Division stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, an Army spokesperson told KWTX.
“We are aware of the arrest of Sgt. Paul Thames for abuse of a child. The 1st Cavalry Division is in communication with law enforcement. We are disgusted by the video that has been posted,” the official said.
“The behavior of Sgt. Thames does not reflect the values of the 1st Cavalry Division or the U.S. Army.”
The 29-year-old sergeant surrendered to authorities and was booked into the McLennan County jail late Friday night following the shocking incident at an apartment building in Waco.
In the video, the man, believed to be Sgt. Thames is seen picking up the toddler and striking him in the torso at least five times with a clenched fist. It was not clear how he knew the child.
“Are you going to stop playing?” the attacker asks as he pulls the crying boy up by the face and walks off with him.
Police were called to the apartment complex at around 5:20 p.m. Friday and the child was transported by ambulance to a local hospital.
He was evaluated by medical personnel and later released, authorities said.
Sgt. Thames’s bond was set at $200,000 for the charge, but he is being held on a federal detainer, the county jail confirmed.
