Police

The footage of William McNeil's arrest and subsequent beating at the hands of Jacksonville, Florida sheriff's deputies went viral in late July, resulting in a slew of reactions across social media.

The video has since become the subject of intense attention, and McNeil's been open about the lasting trauma he's experienced in the months since his February arrest.

We're going to look into the background of the man who took the video of his own traffic stop ... and see what legal options he's explored since the incident occurred.

McNeil is a biology major currently enrolled at Livingstone College, a historically Black college in North Carolina, according to CNN.

He's a member of the school's marching band ... his mother, Latoya, described her son as a self-taught musician who plays at his local church.

McNeil's mother characterized him as "a mentor of all the children in the neighborhood," as well as a "really, really good man of God."

Livingstone College's president Anthony Davis commended McNeil for showing restraint, and said the young man frequently volunteered in his community on weekends.

McNeill's stepfather Alton claimed he'd "been through what he’s been through" as a young man, and he was greatly distressed to see his stepson undergo a similar experience with law enforcement.

McNeil was pulled over by deputies on February 19, 2025, for allegedly not having his headlights on while driving in the rain, and for allegedly not wearing his seat belt. He opened his door to talk to the first deputy, explaining his window was broken and wouldn't roll down.

He then closed the door and locked himself in the car, and had a verbal exchange with the deputies about the necessity of the traffic stop, and he asked if the law regarding headlight use could be verified before asking to see the deputies' supervisor. He pointed out it wasn't raining.

A deputy, later identified as Officer D. Bowers, then smashed McNeil's window and punched him in the face before the other deputies dragged him out of the car and pulled him to the ground, after which he was struck in the face again.

McNeil was arrested and charged with resisting an officer without resistance, as well as possession of marijuana and paraphernalia. A knife was also found in his car during a search of the vehicle after he'd been taken into custody.

Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters stated McNeil pled guilty to and was adjudicated guilty of resisting a police officer without violence, as well as driving with a suspended license.

McNeil was left with a busted lip after the arrest, which required several stitches to patch up, according to CBS News.

He also claimed one of his teeth ended up chipped, and he said he suffered both a concussion and short-term memory loss from the incident.

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office issued a statement to confirm it was investigating the incident after the video went viral, although the office added the Florida State's Attorney's Office had determined "none of the involved officers violated criminal law" when McNeil was arrested.

Waters also revealed Bowers had been stripped of his duty while an internal investigation was being completed, although he didn't make any comments regarding the deputy's behavior during the arrest.

Body camera footage from the event was later released, and Waters claimed McNeil's viral video "does not comprehensively capture the circumstances surrounding this incident."

McNeil has said he was still feeling shock from the arrest in an interview with ABC News, where he claimed he hadn't driven his car for an extended period of time.

He also stated he "can't get sleep at night because of trauma," which resulted in frequent "flashbacks and nightmares."

McNeil has since retained the services of civil rights attorney Ben Crump to represent him as he explores his legal options regarding the arrest.

Crump spoke to us and claimed the incident was a case of "driving while Black" and called on the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office to "immediately terminate" the officer who punched McNeil.

Bryan Kohberger got under the skin of at least one of his fellow prisoners while in jail ... according to a neighboring inmate who told authorities what the convicted killer is like behind bars.

Among the hundreds of documents released by police after Kohberger was sentenced to life in prison -- obtained by TMZ -- one details a conversation between a Moscow, Idaho police officer and an unnamed inmate at Latah County Jail in September 2024.

The inmate had been housed next to Kohberger for about a month ... and while he described the convicted murderer as "highly intelligent and polite for the most part," he said Kohberger had habits that quickly became "annoying."

Bryan Kohberger brutally "disfigured" Kaylee Goncalves' face and fought through a violent struggle with Xana Kernodle before fleeing the scene of the University of Idaho murders ... according to newly unsealed police reports.

Moscow Police documents just released say the November 2022 killings were even more savage than initially reported -- describing Goncalves' injuries as so severe her face was left unrecognizable. The responding police officer noted the disfigurement in his report, while others called the crime scene a bloodbath.

On the floor below, Kohberger clashed with Kernodle after she either saw or heard him kill her roommates upstairs. The police sergeant wrote that "an intense struggle" clearly took place, and Kernodle had deep defensive wounds between her fingers -- evidence she fought for her life.

Ben Crump is now representing William McNeil Jr. -- the Florida man seen in a viral video getting his car window smashed in and his head punched repeatedly by Jacksonville deputies during a traffic stop -- and he tells us the newly released body cam footage strengthens McNeil’s case.

The civil rights attorney tells us the incident is a clear case of "driving while Black," arguing officers had pre-judged McNeil before pulling him over. He even likens it to a modern-day Rosa Parks moment -- saying McNeil was violently arrested for simply questioning the stop.

The footage has sparked nationwide outrage and reignited a debate over racial profiling and police use of force.

A driver who mouthed off to law enforcement during a traffic stop in Florida got punched in the mouth after police smashed his window and pulled him out of his car ... and it's all on video.

Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters just released body camera footage from William McNeil's violent February arrest ... and you see him arguing with deputies about why he got pulled over.

McNeil questions deputies who told him he was being pulled over for not using his headlights in the rain ... and he locks himself in the car and demands a supervisor ... then continues his defense when more deputies show up ... until police smash his window with bare fists and drag him out of the driver's seat.

Cops say the suspect who killed an "American Idol" music supervisor and her husband turned their own gun on them -- before calling the police on himself.

L.A. County D.A. Nathan Hochman dropped the bombshell Monday night at a town hall in Encino ... revealing 22-year-old suspect Raymond Boodarian not only used the couple’s gun but then dialed 911 on his own cell, gave cops his name, and basically handed them the trail to track him down.

As we’ve reported ... Boodarian’s accused of breaking into Robin Kaye and Thomas Deluca’s Encino home earlier this month. The couple came back mid-burglary and, in a deadly twist, were allegedly gunned down during a confrontation with him.

Dog the Bounty Hunter's family is going through a personal tragedy ... because his stepson shot and killed his step-grandson in what we're told was an accidental shooting.

Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Gregory Zecca -- son of Dog's wife, Francie -- shot his 13-year-old son Anthony in a freak accident at their apartment in Naples, Florida Saturday night.

Law enforcement confirms to us they responded to a call about a shooting around 8 PM ET. They haven't made any arrests and call this an "isolated incident." The investigation is ongoing.

A tense standoff on an Ohio bridge turned violent as video captured a police officer repeatedly punching an anti-ICE protester during a protest that brought traffic to a halt.

The demonstration, which was on the Roebling Bridge between Cincinnati and Covington, called for the release of a detained former hospital chaplain. The protest drew some 100 people. Authorities say at least 15 people were arrested on felony rioting and various misdemeanor charges.

The viral video shows a protester wearing a red Cincinnati Reds cap being tackled and struck in the head multiple times while pinned to the ground. Police say the guy tried to grab a pepper ball gun from an officer, but he denies that claim, telling WCPO he was simply reacting to having a weapon pointed at him.

Troy Ave. ain't out of the woods yet after his "fake" shooting video surfaced online ... 'cause the police are now investigating to see if the incident was actually real.

The San Diego County Sheriff's Office tells TMZ they received a copy of the video Wednesday, which depicts Troy and his buddy, Geoff Cole, getting out of a vehicle outside Geoff's home as a gunman sneaks up on them. Troy quickly reacts, pulling out his own pistol and firing several shots at the supposed assailant before the clip cuts off.

Geoff uploaded the video to his Instagram page Tuesday -- and 45,000 people liked it, with many believing that Troy was a real-life hero standing up to an alleged attempted robber.

The brutal murders of Robin Kaye, a music supervisor on "American Idol," and her husband, musician Thomas DeLuca, at their home in Encino earlier this week sent shockwaves through Los Angeles.

We've learned the suspect, Raymond Boodarian, has a troubled background ... the 22-year-old man was arrested this week on suspicion of committing the grisly murders.

We're going to take a look at the disturbing allegations surrounding his past, as well as the events that led up to his arrest.

Boodarian allegedly had a history of substance abuse issues leading up to the murders, frequently associating with other users, according to the New York Post.

The murder suspect reportedly brought other users around his residence in Reseda, a neighborhood in L.A. -- one neighbor claimed the visits left other residents "frightened."

The same individual reportedly said Boodarian's alleged drug usage resulted in "a lot of problems," which other neighbors complained about.

Another of Boodarian's neighbors spoke to Fox News and claimed he was "on and off medication" ... another stated he would "be taken away for a couple of months" before being returned to his residence.

Boodarian's behavior reportedly landed him in trouble with authorities, and he racked up a list of alleged criminal offenses over the years, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Court records show he'd been charged with brandishing a knife, threatening to commit a crime with the intent to terrorize, and battery.

But the charges were eventually dismissed after he went through hearings related to establishing a conservatorship, as well as his mental competency.

Boodarian subsequently underwent a mental health evaluation and was ultimately placed under a conservatorship, according to NBC 4.

The bodies of Kaye and DeLuca were discovered Monday at their tightly secured home after LAPD officers arrived to perform a welfare check.

Police went to the couple's residence the previous Thursday in response to a call about a potential break-in ... and although cops showed up to check out the scene, they left after searching the property.

Our law enforcement sources told us the couple's bodies were found in separate rooms, and they both had been shot in the head.

Boodarian is believed to have entered the house through an unlocked door on Thursday afternoon last week ... Kaye and DeLuca returned to their house shortly afterward and discovered him inside, which allegedly led to a confrontation that resulted in both of them being shot.

Boodarian was arrested at his residence after police found fingerprints at the scene that allegedly match his -- his prints had been entered in the LAPD's database after he was arrested on battery charges in 2024.

The man suspected of killing an "American Idol" music supervisor and her husband was taken into custody yesterday ... and, TMZ has obtained pictures of the arrest.

The photos show 22-year-old Raymond Boodarian standing in front of a row of garages at a residential complex, with numerous cops surrounding him ... no shirt on and his hands cuffed behind his back.

The pictures are all taken from behind Boodarian, so you can't see his face. One garage door behind the group is open ... though it's unclear if that's where he came from.

The alleged murderer of "American Idol" Music Supervisor Robin Kaye and her husband, Thomas Deluca, left forensic evidence behind that directly led to his arrest ... sources with knowledge tell TMZ.

The LAPD arrested 22-year-old Raymond Boodarian, and our sources say the key piece of evidence linking him to the crime is fingerprints ... cops were able to lift fingerprints from the crime scene.

Authorities were able to match the prints to Boodarian because his prints were in the LAPD's database. Boodarian had been arrested on 3 separate criminal battery cases in 2024, and protocol is to get fingerprints upon arrest.

Cops in India have arrested the man suspected of killing famed marathon runner Fauja Singh in a hit-and-run accident earlier this week.

Amritpal Singh Dhillon was taken into custody on Tuesday ... after he reportedly confessed to hitting Singh on Monday.

According to journalist Gagandeep Singh, Dhillon told cops he was traveling at a high rate of speed and could not stop after he saw Fauja Singh enter a crosswalk. The non-resident Indian from Canada allegedly left the scene in a panic. He reportedly did not know it was Fauja Singh he had hit.

Police in a small town in Pennsylvania can apparently punch a suspect multiple times on camera and keep on working like nothing happened ... because that's what's playing out right now in Meadville.

Here's the deal ... a few officers from the Meadville Police Department got into a violent altercation with a man they were trying to arrest -- and the brutal interaction was caught on camera, prompting a use of force review.

Meadville City Manager Maryann Menanno tells TMZ ... the officers involved were NOT suspended and are still on active duty as normal.

The 911 call John Elway made in an effort to get paramedics to his friend, Jeff Sperbeck, after he a fell off a golf cart earlier this year has been released.

In it, Elway can be heard telling the Riverside County Sheriff's Office on the evening of April 26 ... "we were on a golf cart and he fell off the golf cart."

The audio is heavily redacted ... though the former Denver Broncos quarterback can be heard several times throughout it trying to explain exactly what happened.

Beyoncé may just get her unreleased music back -- and soon -- 'cause a tracking device was placed inside the stolen items!

Here's the scoop ... TMZ obtained 911 audio from the Atlanta PD in which you can hear one of Beyoncé's crew members explaining to the dispatcher that someone had broken into his rented Jeep parked in a garage while he was eating in a nearby restaurant on July 8.

The caller says his computers were stolen with a locating device inside ... and he can pinpoint where the electronics are going on his iPhone.