“It Was Daylight Outside”: The Violent Arrest of William McNeil Jr. Sparks Outrage and Demands for Justice

On February 19, 2025, in Jacksonville, Florida, William McNeil Jr. a young, Black biology  major at Livingstone College was violently arrested during a traffic stop that has since gone viral  and ignited a wave of outrage across the country. The incident, captured on McNeil’s own  phone, is now the center of national debate on police force, racial profiling, and the treatment of  Black students. 

It was a cloudy Wednesday afternoon when McNeil was pulled over by Jacksonville Sheriff’s  Officer D. Bowers. According to police, McNeil’s vehicle didn’t have its headlights on. But  McNeil, calm and clearly confused, responded, “It’s daylight outside,” questioning the  credibility of the stop. His window was reportedly broken, so he opened the car door to speak  with the officer. 

When asked to provide his license and registration, McNeil unconvinced by the justification for  the stop refused and closed the car door, repeatedly asking to speak to a supervisor. The officer  attempted to open the door several times, but McNeil had locked it.

What followed was an escalation that has drawn national condemnation. Officer Bowers  punched the window twice before it shattered on the third strike. Bodycam and cellphone footage  show McNeil sitting still, his face marked by visible disassociation, as he is punched repeatedly  in the face. 

Despite showing his hands when ordered, McNeil did not exit the vehicle. Officer Bowers then  reached inside, unlocked the door, unbuckled McNeil’s seatbelt, and violently pulled him out of  the car. Once outside, McNeil was swarmed by three officers. He was forced to the ground,  punched again, and placed in handcuffs. 

The incident left McNeil with a chipped tooth, facial injuries requiring stitches, and what he later described as a concussion. But the trauma extended far beyond the physical. 

Months later, on July 23, McNeil spoke publicly at a press conference, explaining that he felt  targeted and fearful, not just during the arrest but even now. “There was no reason for that stop,”  he said, recalling the moment his sense of safety disappeared. His attorneys, including renowned  civil rights lawyer Ben Crump, argue the stop was racially motivated and that McNeil was calm  and nonviolent throughout. 

Adding to the outrage, discrepancies have since emerged in the official police report.  Jacksonville’s mayor, Donna Deegan, called the footage “disturbing” and urged transparency.  Despite community protests and national attention, no criminal charges have been filed against  any of the officers involved. The officer who punched McNeil has been stripped of his law  enforcement authority pending an internal investigation. 

Meanwhile, McNeil continues to suffer from the emotional toll of the incident he reports  nightmares, sleeplessness, anxiety, and difficulty focusing in class. 

For many at HBCUs and in Black communities across the country, McNeil’s story is deeply  personal. It reminds us of the fragile line between compliance and confrontation when Black  men interact with police and how quickly a college student's afternoon drive can become a  national civil rights issue.

As this case continues to unfold, one thing remains clear: the fight for justice, accountability, and  safety for Black students like William McNeil Jr. is far from over.