When a major snowstorm blanketed parts of Washington state in the US, police officers in the city of Duvall were deployed for an important task – defeat a group of local children in a snowball fight.

The Duvall Police Department posted a video of its members armed with tactical shields to take on “local hostiles” who were armed with “improvised projectiles made out of fluffy snow.” Although they claimed there would be “no mercy,” it turned out that they were no match for the attack mounted by the children.

The officers made a hasty retreat but left a man behind who, unfortunately, bore the brunt of the snowball barrage.