Latest news with #trafficstop
Yahoo
22 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Body camera footage released after violent Florida traffic stop goes viral
A Florida sheriff has released body camera footage of a violent traffic stop in which officers were seen smashing a man's window and repeatedly punching him. The latest video of the Feb. 19 arrest of William Anthony McNeil Jr. shows the perspective of two officers responding to the stop that began when McNeil was pulled over for a headlight and seatbelt violation in Jacksonville. The new body camera videos show officers confronting McNeil – and punching him – after he questioned why he was pulled over and refused to get out of the car. The release comes after cellphone video McNeil recorded of his interaction with officers gained viral traction online. That footage prompted a criminal review that ended with prosecutors clearing the law enforcement officials of any wrongdoing. Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters explains what happened when officers used deadly force on a suspect July 15, 2025. Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters said at a news conference on July 21 that "one video devoid of context can be very misleading," referring to the cellphone footage that sparked backlash over the agency's handling of the traffic stop. Waters also said McNeil was in possession of marijuana and officers found a knife in the vehicle. D.J. Bowers, the officer who smashed McNeil's window and punched him at least twice, has been put on administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal review of whether he violated the agency's policies. In a separate criminal review, local prosecutors determined "none of the involved officers violated criminal law," Waters said. McNeil retained civil rights attorneys Ben Crump and Harry Daniels to represent him. 'This wasn't law enforcement, it was brutality," McNeil's legal team said in a joint statement on July 21. "We demand full accountability from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and justice for William McNeil Jr." William McNeil Jr. is shown as his driver's side window is broken by police during a traffic stop in February 2025. Two days after his arrest, McNeil pleaded guilty to resisting police without violence and driving with a suspended license, court records show. He was sentenced to two days already served in jail, and a misdemeanor marijuana charge was dropped. McNeil repeatedly struck by officers during traffic stop, arrest The body camera footage begins with Officer Bowers approaching McNeil and telling him he was stopped for not having his headlights on during "inclement weather" as well as a seatbelt violation. McNeil, speaking to Bowers through his open front door because his driver's side window wasn't working, said he did not need to have his headlights on because "it's daylight" and "it's not raining." McNeil then refused to provide his license and registration and requested to speak with a supervisor. After Bowers told him to step out of the vehicle, McNeil said "no" and closed the door. Footage shows Bowers trying to open it before he radioed that it was locked. 'Right now, you're under arrest for resisting," Bowers said. "The longer you take … the worse it's gonna be.' When another officer pulled in front of McNeil's car, Bowers said "Sir, this is your last warning to open the vehicle and exit before we are going to break the window." A short while later, McNeil lowered the passenger window and spoke briefly with another officer. Bowers again said he was about to break the window and was told to "go for it" by a fellow officer. Bowers smashed in the driver's side window and punched McNeil in the head. McNeil, who remained nonviolent, raised his hands and asked "What is your reason, sir?" Officers pulled McNeil out of the car and forced him to the ground, where body camera video shows officers striking him as he was face down on the pavement. In McNeil's cellphone footage, it appears Bowers punched him in the head after he was taken out of the car and before he was brought to the ground. Footage shows McNeil's face bloodied after the scuffle. Near the end of the footage, Bowers radioed in for a unit to look at a cut on McNeil's lip. Contributing: Steve Patterson, The Florida Times-Union This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New footage released after violent traffic stop in Florida goes viral
Fox News
25 minutes ago
- Fox News
Jacksonville, Florida police investigating 'viral' video showing officer punching driver in the face
NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! Police in Jacksonville, Florida are investigating a "viral" video in which an officer is seen punching a male driver in the face during a traffic stop. Footage that began circulating on social media over the weekend showed William McNeil Jr. staring at the camera on Feb. 19 as an officer is seen smashing his driver's side window and demanding that he "exit the vehicle now!" The officer then strikes McNeil in the face before he is dragged out of the car and taken into custody. "At my direction, the agency immediately began both a criminal and administrative review of the officers' actions. These administrative reviews are ongoing, but the state attorney's office has determined that none of the involved officers violated criminal law," Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters said Monday while releasing a longer bodycam video of the incident. "I want to be clear about something. Yes, there absolutely was force used by the arresting officers. And yes, that force is ugly. But as I've said many times before, the reality is that all force, all violence is ugly, and just because force is ugly does not mean it's unlawful or contrary to policy," he added. DRAMATIC VIDEO SHOWS HERO COPS DRAG DAZED DRIVER FROM CAR BEFORE TRAIN SMASHES INTO IT Waters said the arresting officer involved in the incident, whom he identified as D. Bowers, has been "stripped" of his law enforcement authority pending the outcome of the administrative review. He also said "officers found a large unsheathed serrated knife on the driver's side floorboard" of McNeil's vehicle. "After this traffic stop on February 19, 2025, McNeil was arrested for resisting a police officer without violence, driving on suspended driver's license, and possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana. On February 20th, 2025, McNeil pled guilty to and was adjudicated guilty of resisting a police officer without violence and driving on a suspended driver's license," the sheriff also said. Waters noted that despite McNeil receiving his cell phone back in early March, which "he presumably used to record the footage that was shared on social media," he never filed a complaint with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office or shared the video with authorities. BODYCAM FOOTAGE SHOWS CHAOTIC MOMENTS LEADING UP TO FATAL OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTING The viral footage begins with McNeil talking to an officer about why he was pulled over, recounting how an officer told him his headlights were off during apparent inclement weather. "It doesn't matter -- you are still required to have headlights on," the officer says. "Can you pull that law up?" McNeil then asks him. "Yeah, when you step out of the car I will," the officer then says. "Can you call your supervisor?" McNeil says. "Alright, go for it," the officer is heard saying before McNeil's driver's side window is busted open and he is dragged out of the car. As McNeil is being taken into custody, he asks an officer "what's going on man?" "You're under arrest, that is what is going on," a voice says. CALIFORNIA OFFICER'S GUN STOLEN BY HALF-NAKED SUSPECT WHO WAS LATER SHOT DEAD BY ANOTHER OFFICER: BODYCAM In the bodycam footage released by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, McNeil is seen refusing to hand over his license, registration and proof of insurance to Officer Bowers. "No. Call your supervisor," he says, before refusing a command to step out of the vehicle. "Sir this is your last warning to open the vehicle and exit before we are going to break the window," Bowers tells him. "Open the door and exit, you are under arrest for resisting." WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT: McNeil remains in the vehicle and the window was eventually smashed. Attorneys Ben Crump and Harry Daniels announced they are now representing McNeil after the video sparked "outrage across the country." "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. 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," they said in a statement. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "This wasn't law enforcement, it was brutality. All video from JSO should be released to ensure there is transparency for McNeil and the community. We demand full accountability from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and justice for William McNeil Jr.," the lawyers added.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Video shows Florida deputies punching and dragging a Black man from his car
A video showing Florida deputies punching and dragging a Black man from his car during a traffic stop has sparked nationwide outrage, with civil rights lawyers accusing authorities of fabricating their arrest report. William McNeil Jr., 22, was sitting in the driver's seat, asking to speak to the Jacksonville deputies' supervisor, when authorities broke his window, punched him in the face, pulled him from the vehicle, punched him again and threw him to the ground. The footage from the Feb. 19 arrest shows that seconds before being dragged outside, McNeil had his hands up and did not appear to be resisting as he asked, 'What is your reason?' He had pulled over and accused of not having his headlights on, even though it was daytime, his lawyers said. '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,' lawyers Ben Crump and Harry Daniels said in a statement. Crump is a Black civil rights attorney who has gained national prominence representing victims of police brutality and vigilante violence 'William was calm and compliant,' they said. '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.' Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters said the cellphone camera footage from inside the car 'does not comprehensively capture the circumstances surrounding the incident.' 'Part of that stems from the distance and perspective of the recording cell phone camera,' the sheriff said in a statement, adding that the video did not capture events that occurred before officers decided to arrest McNeil. Cameras 'can only capture what can be seen and heard,' the sheriff added. '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.' McNeil was charged with resisting a police officer without violence; driving with a suspended license and having less than 20 grams of marijuana, Waters said. He pleaded guilty to the charges of resisting an officer and driving with a suspended license, Waters said. McNeil was warned seven times that he needed to open his car door and get out, or officers would be forced to break his car window, the sheriff said. After McNeil was removed from the car, officers found a 'large, serrated knife' on the driver's side floor of the car, Waters said. Waters said the sheriff's office on Sunday became aware that the cellphone video was circulating on social media. Investigations then began, and the State Attorney's Office determined that no officers violated any criminal laws, he said at a news briefing. An 'administrative review' to determine whether officers violated any department policies is still ongoing, he said.
Al Arabiya
2 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Video Shows Florida Deputies Punching And Dragging A Black Man From His Car
A video showing Florida deputies punching and dragging a Black man from his car during a traffic stop has sparked nationwide outrage, with civil rights lawyers accusing authorities of fabricating their arrest report. William McNeil Jr., 22, was sitting in the driver's seat asking to speak to the Jacksonville deputies' supervisor when authorities broke his window, punched him in the face, pulled him from the vehicle, punched him again, and threw him to the ground. The footage from the Feb. 19 arrest shows that seconds before being dragged outside, McNeil had his hands up and did not appear to be resisting as he asked, 'What is your reason?' He had pulled over and been accused of not having his headlights on even though it was daytime, his lawyers said. '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,' lawyers Ben Crump and Harry Daniels said in a statement. Crump is a Black civil rights attorney who has gained national prominence representing victims of police brutality and vigilante violence. 'William was calm and compliant,' they said. '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.' Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters said the cellphone camera footage from inside the car does not comprehensively capture the circumstances surrounding the incident. 'Part of that stems from the distance and perspective of the recording cell phone camera,' the sheriff said in a statement, adding that the video did not capture events that occurred before officers decided to arrest McNeil. 'Cameras can only capture what can be seen and heard,' the sheriff added. '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.' McNeil was charged with resisting a police officer without violence, driving with a suspended license, and having less than 20 grams of marijuana, Waters said. He pleaded guilty to the charges of resisting an officer and driving with a suspended license, Waters said. McNeil was warned seven times that he needed to open his car door and get out, or officers would be forced to break his car window, the sheriff said. After McNeil was removed from the car, officers found a large serrated knife on the driver's side floor of the car, Waters said. Waters said the sheriff's office on Sunday became aware that the cellphone video was circulating on social media. Investigations then began, and the State Attorney's Office determined that no officers violated any criminal laws, he said at a news briefing. An administrative review to determine whether officers violated any department policies is still ongoing, he said.
CBS News
6 hours ago
- CBS News
Video of Jacksonville sheriff's officer hitting man in face during traffic stop prompts investigation
A newly released video of a February traffic stop showing officers in Jacksonville, Florida, arresting a man after one of them broke his car window and hit him in the face has prompted an investigation into the officers' use of force. William McNeil Jr. posted the video he had recorded to social media on Sunday, saying he was pulled over on Feb. 19. In the video, an officer from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office tells McNeil he was pulled over because his headlights were off. McNeil, 22, tells the officer that other drivers also had their headlights off and asked to speak to a supervisor, and that's when "things escalated quickly as you can see," he wrote on Instagram. The video then shows an officer smashing McNeil's driver's side window, demanding he get out of the car and hitting him in the face. The officers then open McNeil's car door and pull him out. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said Monday that it's investigating the incident after it was made aware of the video circulating online, although the statement noted that "the State Attorney's Office has determined that none of the involved officers violated criminal law." The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said it began both a criminal and administrative review of the officers' actions. The administrative reviews are ongoing, the sheriff's office said. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing McNeil, said in a statement Monday that the video doesn't match what the officers said happened. He called the incident "a disturbing reminder" that asking for basic rights, like why McNeil was pulled over, "can be met with violence for Black Americans." CBS News has reached out to the Florida State Attorney's Office for comment. In the arrest report, provided to CBS News by McNeil's attorneys, officer D. Bowers said McNeil wasn't wearing his seatbelt when he pulled him over for allegedly not having his headlights on in inclement weather. The officer wrote that he asked McNeil for his driver's license, registration and proof of insurance numerous times, which he said McNeil refused, so Bowers called for backup. "The suspect continued to refuse to comply, at which time I broke the driver's window and opened the driver's door. I along with other officers on scene removed the suspect from the vehicle," Bowers said in the arrest report. "The suspect was reaching for the floor board of the vehicle where a large knife was sitting." McNeil was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia, as well as resisting an officer without violence, according to the arrest report. He pleaded guilty to and was adjudicated guilty of resisting a police officer without violence and driving on a suspended driver's license, Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters said. During a news conference Monday, Waters released body camera footage from the February incident and said the viral arrest video "does not comprehensively capture the circumstances surrounding this incident" and it "did not capture the events that preceded Officer Bowers's decision to arrest McNeil." The sheriff's office also posted an image of the knife as seen in one of the officers' bodycam video on Monday. Bowers' body camera footage shows the officer asking McNeil why he opened his door instead of rolling down his window. In the footage, McNeil says his window doesn't work, and Bowers then asks for McNeil's identification one time before telling him to get out of the car. McNeil, who questioned why he was pulled over, responds "no" and shuts his door. He then asks the officer to call his supervisor, and that's when Bowers called for other responding officers, one of whom is heard talking to McNeil from the passenger's side of the vehicle in McNeil's video. Waters said Bowers has been stripped of duty amid an internal investigation. He did not comment on Bowers' actions, but said "the law is clear." "A person must comply with an officer's commands, even if that person disagrees with that officer's reasons for the stop," Waters said. He added that the sheriff's office had not received a complaint from McNeil and was unaware of the allegations prior to him posting the video. Crump noted Monday that McNeil was wearing his seatbelt in his video, but it's unclear from Bowers' body camera footage whether McNeil was wearing his seatbelt when he was first pulled over. The attorney also disputed that McNeil was ever combative or that he was reaching for a knife, adding that the arrest report also failed to mention that the officer hit McNeil. "The narrative in this report isn't just suspicious. It is completely divorced from reality. Not only is he clearly wearing his seatbelt in the video, he never reaches for anything," Crump said in a statement. "In fact, the only time he moves at all is when the officer knocks him over by punching him in his face. Then this young man calmly sits back straight and holds his empty hands up." McNeil said his tooth was chipped and he needed several stitches in his lips as a result of the arrest. He also said he suffered a concussion and short-term memory loss. In his video caption, he wrote: "This was very hard to do I'm not mentally healed from this but I had to get the word out eventually and if I pushed you away or changed more than likely this is why ..."
