Story By: Ana Lacasa, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: CEN

WARNING: EXPLICIT CONTENT

Video Credit: CEN

This is the viral moment a seemingly-inebriated man brutally beats up his ex-girlfriend in the middle of the street before the cops arrive with assault rifles to put a stop to the violence.

The incident was filmed by CCTV cameras in the city of Villa Ballester in the eastern Argentine province of Buenos Aires and shared on Twitter by journalist Mauro Szeta where it has been viewed 2.8 million times.

In the footage, the victim – identified as Maria – is seen sitting on the kerb as the suspect kicks her in the head and body before staggering backwards.

Pictures Credit: CEN

The man, named as 24-year-old Luis Oscar Cejas, then yanks her backpack from her shoulder and throws it at her face.

He repeatedly hits Maria, occasionally sending her to the ground, before attacking her with the backpack.

The victim is seen lying on the tarmac as Cejas continually whacks her with the bag which breaks open, spilling Maria’s belongings onto the pavement.

At one point he removes his top and wanders into the road to meet the arriving police patrol cars.

An armed policewoman is seen ordering Cejas to lie down on the pavement with her assault rifle pointed at the suspect.

Meanwhile, an ambulance arrives to take the apparently bloodied victim to hospital.

According to local media, CCTV staff saw the attack on the monitors and sent the emergency services to the scene to intervene.

Reports said that the city’s monitoring centre employs 350 people in charge of 700 streaming CCTV cameras.

Maria is currently being cared for by doctors at a local hospital while Cejas has reportedly been charged with attempted homicide.

The investigation is ongoing.