What began as a routine stop in Jacksonville quickly spiraled — and now the bodycam footage is making waves across the internet.
22-year-old William “Will” McNeil Jr. was pulled over by police for allegedly driving without headlights during what they described as “bad weather.” But the footage? Not a raindrop in sight.
McNeil remained calm, questioning the stop: “It’s not raining.” He asked to speak with a supervisor. What unfolded next was anything but routine.
💥 The Moment That Set the Internet Off
When McNeil refused to exit the vehicle and locked his doors, things escalated fast.
Officer Bowers shattered the driver’s side window, reached inside, and began striking McNeil — hard. A second officer helped drag him out. The entire encounter, recorded on multiple bodycams, is graphic and unsettling.
One punch to the jaw.
Another to the skull.
All over… a missing headlight?
🩸 Injuries & Fallout
McNeil suffered a chipped tooth, a gashed lip requiring stitches, and a diagnosed concussion. He also says he’s experiencing memory issues from the incident.
Police claim McNeil was “verbally aggressive” and later found a knife on the car floor — but there were no violent charges filed against him. He was arrested for resisting and driving with a suspended license.
As for that original headlight violation? Dropped.
🎥 Unfiltered Bodycam Footage Released
Sheriff T.K. Waters held a press conference to release the footage and explain the department’s stance. According to him, the State Attorney’s Office found no criminal misconduct.
However, Officer Bowers has been placed on administrative leave while internal investigations continue.
“We’ll let the public make their own judgment,” said Waters.
The public? Already reacting — and fast.
✊ Public Outrage & Legal Action Brewing
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, now representing McNeil, described the footage as “beyond disturbing.”
“He peacefully asserted his rights, and was violently attacked for it,” Crump said.
Local lawmakers, including Rep. Angie Nixon and Sen. Shevrin Jones, have condemned the incident as “disgraceful,” “disturbing,” and “completely unacceptable.”
👀 Social Media: Erupting
Clips from the video are flooding TikTok, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter), racking up millions of views.
Trending comments include:
“This is why trust in law enforcement is broken,”
and
“How is this not considered excessive force?”
That question is now front and center.
🧨 What’s Next?
- Officer Bowers: still on leave.
- McNeil’s legal team: preparing for a civil suit.
- The video: still going viral.
📲 You can watch the complete, unedited bodycam footage below.
But fair warning: it’s intense.
