A traffic stop in Jacksonville, Florida, has sparked national outrage after a video surfaced showing police smashing a car window and punching a Black driver in the face during a February encounter. The footage, which went viral on social media, captures 22-year-old William McNeil Jr. calmly questioning why he was being stopped in broad daylight for allegedly not using his headlights. Despite McNeil asking to see the law or speak with a supervisor, officers escalated the situation, ultimately breaking his window and forcibly removing him from the vehicle.
In the video, McNeil is heard complying with officers’ requests to show his hands. Nevertheless, one deputy shatters the window with a punch and delivers a blow to McNeil’s face while he remains seated. He is then pulled out of the vehicle, tackled to the ground, and allegedly struck again. McNeil’s lawyers claim he suffered a chipped tooth, stitches to his lip, and a concussion as a result of the violent arrest. They argue the officers used excessive force for a minor traffic matter and that McNeil recorded the encounter out of fear for his life.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office defended the officers’ actions, claiming McNeil was uncooperative, locked his doors, and allegedly reached for a knife on the floorboard. They added that marijuana was found in the car. While criminal charges against the deputies have been ruled out, the officer seen smashing the window has been placed under administrative review and stripped of arrest powers pending further investigation.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump and McNeil’s legal team have demanded accountability and reform, calling the incident a disturbing example of racial bias and excessive policing. Though McNeil ultimately pleaded guilty to resisting arrest without violence and driving with a suspended license, charges related to headlights and seatbelt violations were dropped. The case has reignited local and national concerns over policing practices in Jacksonville and the treatment of Black motorists during routine stops.
