Authorities in Jacksonville, Florida are looking into a video that surfaced showing police officers hitting a male driver during a traffic stop.
The video, shared on social media over the weekend, features William McNeill Jr. being confronted by an officer on February 19th. The officer then punches McNeill in the face before dragging him out of the car and apprehending him.
According to reports, the police department has started both criminal and administrative reviews of the incident. The State Attorney’s Office has indicated that none of the involved officers broke any criminal laws.
One official stated, “I want to be clear: the arresting officer absolutely used force, and yes, it was ugly. But, as I’ve said before, all power and violence can be ugly without being illegal or against policy.”
Officer D. Bowers, identified in the incident, has had his law enforcement powers suspended pending the outcome of the review.
During the stop, a “large, unpainted sawtooth knife” was found on the driver’s side floor of McNeill’s vehicle, according to the police.
McNeill was taken into custody for charges including resisting officers without violence, driving without a valid license, and possessing a small amount of marijuana.
Interestingly, even though McNeill received his phone back in early March, he didn’t file an official complaint or share the video with authorities. He reportedly recorded the footage that made it onto social media.
The video begins with McNeill speaking to the officer who had pulled him over, explaining that he was stopped for not having his headlights on during poor weather conditions.
The officer responds bluntly, “That doesn’t matter – you still need to turn on the headlights.”
When McNeill asks about the law, the officer tells him to step out of the vehicle. McNeill suggests calling for a supervisor, but the officer dismisses him and forcibly removes him from the car.
After being apprehended, McNeill questions the officers about what was happening. They informed him he was being arrested.
Body camera footage released by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office reveals that McNeill had not complied with requests for his driver’s license, registration, and proof of insurance. When pressed, he insisted, “No. Call the supervisor.”
Bowers warned McNeill that if he didn’t exit the vehicle, they would break the window. Ultimately, the officers smashed the windows to remove him.
Attorneys Ben Crump and Harry Daniels are now representing McNeill, stating that the video has ignited widespread anger.
Crump described the incident involving McNeill as a troubling reminder of the systemic issues faced by Black Americans, stating, “This was not law enforcement; it was atrocious. All videos from this incident should be made public to ensure transparency and accountability.” He continued to demand justice for McNeill and the community.
