Key Takeaways:
- Viral Arrest: Video shows William McNeil Jr. with hands up before Florida deputies smash his window, punch him, and drag him from his car during a traffic stop.
- Two Sides: Lawyers call it “police brutality,” while Sheriff T.K. Waters warns the viral clip lacks full context, citing body cam footage showing McNeil locked inside for 3 minutes.
- Nationwide Debate: Incident sparks outrage, calls for accountability, and questions over use of force and transparency in law enforcement.
A shocking arrest in Jacksonville, Florida, has ignited national outrage after cellphone video surfaced showing deputies punching and dragging a Black man from his car. The footage, which quickly went viral, appears to capture 38-year-old William McNeil Jr. with his hands up moments before being punched in the face and yanked from the vehicle during a Feb. 19 traffic stop.
Here is the full video:
“What happened to William McNeil Jr. is a disturbing reminder that even the most basic rights — like asking why you’ve been pulled over — can be met with violence for Black Americans,” said attorneys Ben Crump and Harry Daniels. “William was calm and compliant. Yet instead of answers, he got his window smashed and was punched in the face, all over a questionable claim about headlights in broad daylight.”
However, Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters warns against “a rush to judgment,” arguing the viral clip lacks full context. “Cameras can only capture what can be seen and heard,” Waters said. “So much context and depth are absent from recorded footage because a camera simply cannot capture what is known to the people depicted in it.”
Body camera footage released by authorities shows McNeil initially speaking with deputies with his car door open but later closing and locking it for roughly three minutes before officers moved in. The body cam angle makes it difficult to see the punches. Deputies claimed McNeil ignored repeated commands to exit the vehicle, while his lawyers insist the arrest was excessive and brutal.
The sheriff’s office says a full investigation is underway, but critics argue it shouldn’t take viral footage for accountability to follow.