A criminal case has been opened following the release of a shocking video showing eighth-graders in Uralmash, Russia, bullying a peer and threatening him with what appears to be a pistol. The Investigative Committee of the Ordzhonikidzevsky district is investigating the incident under articles of hooliganism and illegal deprivation of liberty.

The disturbing footage, which surfaced on social media on June 9, shows a teenager on his knees with an unidentified person pointing a pistol at him. The victim is subjected to verbal abuse, including curses and swearing, before being kicked multiple times in the face and body. The assault concludes with the cameraman stating, “That’s it, let’s get out of here,” and the recording stops.

Authorities are currently working to clarify all the circumstances surrounding the attack. Investigators are questioning potential witnesses and the parents of those involved in the conflict to determine the severity of the victim’s injuries and what factors may have led to the violent confrontation.

While the exact motive for the attack remains unknown, one account suggests the schoolchildren quarreled, with one of them allegedly insulting the other’s parents.

This incident is part of a worrying trend of schoolchildren becoming involved in criminal acts. Recently, in Kamensk-Uralsky, students from school No. 2 beat a 12-year-old boy for cursing at a girl. A similar incident occurred in Novouralsk, where children beat a classmate in a crowd at school.