Gasps filled the courtroom as a teenage defendant was handed an almost unimaginable sentence: 985 years in prison. The teen, visibly stunned, dropped his head in disbelief while guards flanked him and cameras captured the moment — a scene that has since gone viral.

The sentence, among the harshest ever given to a juvenile, followed a lengthy trial involving multiple violent charges that rattled the local community. While the nature of the crimes has many insisting justice was served, others say the punishment is simply too extreme for someone so young.

Online, the case has ignited fierce debate: Is there any room for rehabilitation when the sentence stretches beyond a lifetime?

For many, the teen’s stunned expression is now a symbol — of tragedy, of justice, or of a system that may have gone too far.