All participants in Marijampolė teen conflict identified and questioned

All individuals involved in a recent conflict among minors in Marijampolė have been identified and are being interviewed, according to Marius Draudvila, Deputy Police Commissioner General, as reported by LRT.

“The people who participated in the incident, who carried out actions, who filmed it—all are known, and the process is underway with interviews being conducted,” Draudvila told journalists on Monday.

Preliminary data suggest the conflict involved a minor allegedly assaulting another minor. In this case, Draudvila stated that criminal liability for the assailant is not under consideration due to age. However, the possibility of holding the parents of the alleged aggressor accountable is being examined.

Social Security and Labour Minister Inga Ruginienė argued that responsibility should extend beyond the perpetrator to include bystanders who recorded the violence. “That responsibility should be just as strict as for the assailant, because those who watch, who film, who post videos should also face serious accountability,” she said. Ruginienė added that she was pleased all involved minors had been identified and brought to the attention of support systems.

Police have launched a pre-trial investigation into public order violations following the incident in Marijampolė’s Poetry Park. Authorities report the victim, a girl, sustained multiple blows with hands, feet, and a phone held in hand. Bystanders observed and recorded the assault, and the footage later spread on social media the same evening. The victim was taken to a medical facility after feeling unwell, and her relatives reported the incident to law enforcement.

According to Vilma Sakalauskienė, Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the Marijampolė District, the conflict originated from comments on social media.

Draudvila also noted that juvenile crime rates in Lithuania remain stable, with no significant changes in recent years. While juvenile offences saw a slight increase in 2024–2025, the first half of 2026 recorded a roughly 10% decrease compared to the same period last year. He added that minors constitute about 4% of all suspects in criminal cases, with boys making up approximately 91% of juvenile suspects and girls around 9%. Most juvenile offenders are still in general education.

Among the causes of juvenile delinquency, Draudvila highlighted long-standing grievances and broader social issues. He also noted that many offenders are below the age of criminal responsibility, which in Lithuania generally begins at 16, with exceptions allowing accountability from age 14.