JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Florida lawmaker and notable civil rights attorneys are calling out Jacksonville Sheriff's Office after a video showing an officer repeatedly striking an unarmed Black man in the face during a traffic stop.
The video shows a deputy breaking through 22-year-old William McNeil Jr.'s driver side window, striking him, pulling him out of the car, where he is then held by multiple officers and struck repeatedly and taken down forcefully to the ground.
The video has since spread online, and McNeil Jr. has hired civil rights attorneys Harry M. Daniels and Ben Crump over the Feb.19 incident when they say "JSO officers violently smashed his window and punched him in the face multiple times after he asked to speak to a supervisor."
In the video, McNeil is heard asking the JSO officers about the reason for the stop. They said it was over him having headlights on. McNeil said it was daylight and it wasn’t raining, when the officer said it didn’t matter, according to Daniels and Crump.
“I am absolutely disgusted by the actions of these officers but, unfortunately, I’m not surprised,” Daniels said. “The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office has a long history of this kind of needless violence and brutality.”
“It should be obvious to anyone watching this video that William McNeil wasn’t a threat to anyone,” Crump said. “He was calmly exercising his constitutional rights and they beat him for it.”
Florida lawmaker Sen. Shevrin Jones (D-34) said the following on the matter:
"Once again, we are faced with a sickening reminder of the systemic issues that plague our law enforcement. The video coming out of Jacksonville is deeply disturbing and completely unacceptable. To witness an officer assault an unarmed Black man during what should have been a routine traffic stop is a stark demonstration of the continued racial bias and excessive force that far too many Black individuals experience in our communities. Never mind the fact that the driver was baselessly stopped for not using headlights during broad daylight. This incident is not isolated; it is part of a painful pattern that further erodes trust between law enforcement and the communities they are sworn to protect. We must demand accountability for this officer's actions and work tirelessly to reform our justice system to ensure such egregious acts never happen again. My heart goes out to the victim, and I stand in solidarity with all those who demand justice and an end to police brutality. "
State Representative Angie Nixon (D–Jacksonville) announced sending a formal letter Monday to JSO Sheriff T.K. Waters demanding immediate action. The following statement was released:
“My office has received multiple complaints about the lack of response to people’s inquiries concerning their mistreatment by officers on the street, as well as JSO correctional officers. Further, public records requests are frequently denied or ignored, and crucial updates regarding incarcerated individuals are either concealed or distorted. This is not simply bureaucratic failure - it reflects a broader pattern of neglect and an alarming disregard for safety and public trust.”
Representative Nixon added, “My office demands truth, transparency, and accountability from your office and from every official charged with upholding the law in Duval County.”
ABC Action News has reached out to Jacksonville Sheriff's Office for comments. And they responded saying:
"We are aware of the video circulating on socials media showing a traffic stop from February 19, 2025. We have a launched an internal investigation into it and the circumstances surrounding this incident. We hold our officers to the highest standards and are committed to thoroughly determining exactly what occurred."
JSO is holding a press conference at 5 p.m. to address the incident.
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