A viral video of a Florida cop punching a driver through a window sparked public backlash and prompted an internal investigation by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. Credit: JSO
JACKSONVILLE, Florida – The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) has released body camera footage related to the February 2025 arrest of 22-year-old William Anthony McNeil, Jr., following the circulation of a viral cellphone video that ignited public outrage.
The release comes as Sheriff T.K. Waters addresses discrepancies between the widely shared clip and the full context of the incident, shedding light on a complex case that continues to unfold.
The incident began with a traffic stop on February 19, 2025, when McNeil was pulled over for allegedly driving without headlights during inclement weather and not wearing a seatbelt, according to a police report.
The cellphone footage, which surfaced on social media over the weekend, depicted a JSO deputy punching the driver through the window, causing immediate public backlash.
However, Sheriff Waters emphasized during a Monday evening news conference that the viral video lacks critical context. “The cell phone camera did not capture the events that preceded Officer Bowers’s decision to arrest McNeil,” he stated.
In response, JSO launched both criminal and administrative reviews of the officers’ actions. The State Attorney’s Office has determined that no involved officers violated criminal law, a finding that has also raised public debate.
The body camera footage reveals a violent encounter, with deputies seen beating and punching McNeil after he reportedly questioned the stop and refused to exit his vehicle. Sheriff Waters, who has pledged transparency, refrained from defending or condemning the officers’ actions pending the review’s outcome. “It depends on the circumstances,” he told reporters, noting that the review will assess potential JSO policy violations rather than criminal conduct.
In an update released today, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office issued a statement clarifying its position. Following McNeil’s public announcement that he has retained counsel, JSO announced it will no longer offer further comments on the circumstances surrounding his February 19 arrest.
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