Paul Thames, 29, a U.S. Army sergeant stationed at Fort Hood, was arrested in Waco, Texas, on January 17, 2026, after Ring camera footage captured him allegedly assaulting a 3-year-old boy at The Legend Apartments on Corporation Parkway. The video, which went viral on social media, showed Thames punching the child at least five times in the torso with a closed fist while saying, “Are you going to stop playing?” as the boy cried.​
Incident Response
Waco police were dispatched around 5:20 p.m. Friday following a witness report, reviewed the doorbell footage, and transported the child to a hospital for evaluation before his release. Thames, who knows the victim though their exact relationship remains undisclosed, turned himself in and faces a third-degree felony charge of injury to a child.​
Current Status
He is held at McLennan County Jail on a $200,000 surety bond. The 1st Cavalry Division condemned the behavior as contrary to Army values and is coordinating with law enforcement.​
