Sheriff responds after viral arrest footage showed man being repeatedly punched by police

After a man called William McNeil Jr was pulled over for not having his headlights on during the day, footage of the subsequent violent arrest went viral on TikTok.

In a TikTok clip that has since been viewed a shocking 55 million times, 22-year-old William McNeil Jr was pulled over by police in Jacksonville, Florida. His headlights weren’t on during the day, and while the officers said they should be due to the weather, William claimed there was no rain.

In the video, William could be seen remaining incredibly calm as the cops shouted “exit the vehicle” over and over again. When he didn’t get out, they proceeded to smash the window and immediately punch him in the face. Again, he remained incredibly calm, showing the officers his hands and waiting for them to open the door through the shattered window.

@youwontbelievemeofficial

🚨 VIRAL TRAFFIC STOP TURNS VIOLENT 🚨 22-year-old William McNeil Jr. was brutally arrested during a Feb. 19, 2025 traffic stop in Jacksonville, FL—and it’s all on video. McNeil, stopped for allegedly driving without headlights, calmly asked officers, “What is your reason?” before things escalated. Moments later, cops smashed his car window, punched him in the face, and dragged him out. He suffered a concussion, chipped tooth, stitches, and short-term memory loss. McNeil was convicted only of resisting an officer without violence and driving with a suspended license—while citations for the headlights and a seatbelt violation were dismissed. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office says it’s conducting an internal investigation, but civil rights attorneys Ben Crump and Harry Daniels call it excessive force and plan legal action. The NAACP is demanding answers as the video spreads online, sparking outrage over what many say is clear police misconduct.

♬ original sound – YouWontBelieveMe

Moments later, at least four police officers were dragging William out of the car. They seemed to immediately pile on top of him, ragging him around as one officer landed another punch to his face. The clip makes for an incredibly difficult watch, and people on TikTok were raging.

“This disturbing video highlights yet another case of police brutality that escalated unnecessarily,” one person wrote.

“This is so hard to watch. Justice for William McNeil Jr,” another wrote.

@trollcomin23

Never seen before body cam footage of William McNeil jr #fyp #newsforjax #bodycam #police #jacksonvilleflorida #viral

♬ original sound – trollcomin23

Someone else wrote: “He literally did nothing & the fact that the police had to break his window & punch him in the face not once but TWICE is beyond me.”

The sheriff issued a response to the William McNeil Jr arrest footage

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While the actual incident happened back in February, it went viral this week as William McNeil Jr’s attorneys released the footage. In response, the Sheriff’s department released body camera footage from the scene alongside a statement from the Sheriff.

“The State Attorney’s Office has determined that none of the involved officers violated criminal law, even though the administrative review has yet to be completed,” Jacksonville Sheriff TK Waters said in a press conference, adding that one officer was suspended pending a review.

“A person must comply with an officer’s commands, even if that person disagrees with that officer’s reasons for the stop.”

In the car, a large knife was found alongside marijuana.

Is William McNeil Jr filing a lawsuit?

Following the arrest, William McNeil Jr 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 then pleaded guilty to and was “adjudicated guilty” of resisting a police officer and driving on a suspended driver’s license.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump said: “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.

“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.”

It’s believed that William McNeil Jr will now seek legal action after the attack, which resulted in a split lip and broken teeth.

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