“I Was Just Scared”: Black College Student Dragged From Car by Florida Police Speaks Out After Violent Arrest

Injustice or justified force? A viral video and a young man’s injuries have reignited debate about policing, race, and accountability.

William McNeil Jr., a 22-year-old Black college student, is speaking out after a violent traffic stop in Jacksonville, Florida, left him battered, bruised, and facing a long road to recovery.

At a press conference last week, McNeil—flanked by his family and civil rights attorneys—recalled the terrifying moment he was punched, dragged from his car, and arrested by police.

“That day I just really wanted to know why I was getting pulled over and why I needed to step out of the car,” he said quietly. “I knew I didn’t do nothing wrong. I was really just scared.”

McNeil, a biology major and marching band member at North Carolina’s historically Black Livingstone College, suffered a concussion, a broken tooth, and facial injuries that required stitches.

The arrest took place back in February, but only drew national attention when video footage from McNeil’s own car camera went viral last week. The video shows McNeil calmly asking to speak to a supervisor after being stopped for allegedly driving without headlights—during the daytime.

Seconds later, officers broke his window, punched him in the face, dragged him from the vehicle, and delivered another punch to his face according to both the video and police reports. Once on the ground, one officer reportedly punched McNeil six times in the leg while he was restrained.

Officers claim McNeil was resisting and possibly reaching for a knife, but body cam footage and a second officer’s own report confirm that McNeil kept his hands up throughout the encounter. The officer who struck McNeil failed to list this assault in his incident report.

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who is representing McNeil, called the claim that McNeil reached for a weapon a “fabrication.” “He had the audacity to ask a question—‘Why am I being pulled over?’—and for that, he was met with violence,” Crump said. “That’s not policing. That’s oppression.”

The State Attorney’s Office has cleared the officers involved of any criminal wrongdoing, but Crump and fellow attorney Harry Daniels called the investigation a “whitewashing.” “But for that video, we wouldn’t be here today,” Daniels said. “That footage is the only reason this story is being told.”

Despite the lack of criminal charges against the police, McNeil’s legal team is pushing for justice—and change.

“We are not a police state where officers can do whatever they want without accountability,” Crump said. “This is about protecting the rights of every citizen, regardless of race.”

McNeil pleaded guilty to resisting arrest without violence and driving with a suspended license, charges his attorneys say were minor and unrelated to the violence he endured.

At Wednesday’s press conference, community leaders urged accountability, saying McNeil’s story could be anyone’s. “This could’ve been your brother, your son, or you.”

For many, McNeil’s calm demeanor and visible injuries stand in stark contrast to the force used against him. He’s now recovering—but the questions raised by his case will continue.