The Hurst Police Department has released body-camera footage of the January traffic stop that went viral on social media.
Taneisha Thompson was arrested Jan. 16 after being pulled over and accused of speeding. Her video of the officer pulling her out of the car by the neck garnered millions of views and sparked a debate over use of excessive force.
Hurst Police Chief Billy Keadle said Thursday in a public information release that the department is releasing the footage to address public concerns.
“The clips on social media have misrepresented our officer and have misled some of our community,” Keadle said. “Transparency matters and so does accuracy.”
Bodycam footage shows Cpl. Brandon Morgan getting out of his police vehicle and approaching Thompson’s white SUV. He introduced himself and said the reason for the stop was that she’d just driven through a school zone at 40 miles per hour.
“It’s a 25 through there,” Morgan told her.
While Thompson retrieved her driver license, Morgan asked where she was headed or coming from.
“That’s none of your business,” Thompson replied.
Thompson began scrolling through her phone, looking for proof of insurance. When Morgan asked if there was any reason for her hurry, Thompson said she wasn’t in a hurry and hadn’t seen a school zone.
“There was a flashing signal as you were driving through,” Morgan said.
The officer checked Thompson’s license inside his police vehicle and returned to her SUV a couple of minutes later.
“OK, Taneisha, you’ll be receiving a citation today for the speed,” he said. “I just need to get a signature from you. This is not an admission of guilt.”
“I’m not signing that,” Thompson replied.
“That’s fine; I’ll just put refuse,” Morgan said. “I need to get the VIN number on the car real quick. I’ll enter that. I’ll print you your copy and send you on your way.”
Morgan moved to the front of the SUV and realized there was no registration sticker on the windshield. Thompson said she’d just bought the vehicle and was still waiting for the sticker. Morgan recommended that she carry the bill of sale with her since she didn’t have the registration sticker yet.
Morgan went back to his vehicle to print the citation and then tried to hand it to Thompson.
“I don’t want it,” she told him.
Morgan handed Thompson the citation anyway along with her license. Thompson accepted the license but can be seen tossing the citation out the window.
“That’s littering,” Morgan said. “Step out of the car.”
Morgan reached inside the car to open the door. Thompson is heard saying, “Don’t do that.” Morgan keeps telling her to “Step out.”
“I’m not stepping out!” Thompson said emphatically. Thompson’s 15-year-old son, who is in the front passenger seat, can be heard saying, “Mom, go!”
Morgan grabbed Thompson by her left arm. She told him to “Call your … supervisor,” to which he responded “I am the supervisor.”
“You’re not the supervisor,” Thompson argued. She remained seated in the vehicle, while Morgan kept hold of her arm.
“I’m not stepping out of nothing,” she insisted. “Get your hand off me!”
Morgan kept asking Thompson to get out of the vehicle, but she accused him of dropping the ticket and continued to argue with him.
“You’re doing too much. I’m not afraid of you,” she said at one point.
“Is there anything I can do to get you to comply?” Morgan asked.
Thompson repeated that Morgan threw the ticket at her. Finally she said, “OK, give me the ticket.”
“No, we’re past that,” Morgan told her. “You’re under arrest. Step out of the car.”
Thompson kept refusing, saying she was with her child. Morgan said he understood that, but she needed to step out anyway.
“I’ll step out when another officer gets here,” Thompson said. “I’m not … I don’t trust you. You’re holding me too strong.”
Morgan said he was holding her because he didn’t trust her to not leave. He promised to let go of her arm if she would get out of the vehicle.
Thompson kept yelling that she wasn’t going to get out, and Morgan told her she was resisting arrest.
She kept insisting that Morgan call his supervisor, to which Morgan replied that he was the highest supervisor on duty that day and there was no one to call.
“There is someone else,” she yelled at him.
Morgan tried to pull Thompson out of the SUV, and she can be seen trying to kick him away.
The video from Thompson’s car shows Morgan reaching into the SUV, putting both hands behind her neck and pulling her out. Thompson continued to struggle against the officer while her son pleaded for them to stop.
Other officers had arrived by that point and assisted Morgan in getting Thompson on the ground. She’s told to roll over. Two officers hold her down while a third snaps handcuffs on her wrists.
“All you had to do was take the ticket and leave,” Morgan told her.
Thompson appeared to have a cut on her lower lip. An officer patted her down and put her in the back of a patrol vehicle.
Civil rights attorney Lee Merritt, who is representing Thompson, told the Star-Telegram that Morgan could have de-escalated the situation. He said his client sustained a black eye and bruises and needed stitches in her lower lip.
Merritt posted Thompson’s video of the incident on his social media pages and called for the community to speak out against Morgan’s actions at an upcoming Hurst City Council meeting.
Keadle said Morgan acted in accordance with the law and with Hurst Police Department policies.
“The department stands firmly behind his actions,” Keadle said. “He was working traffic enforcement in this particular area due to community concern for student safety and speeding near our schools.”
Keadle emphasized that it’s never the department’s intent to use force, but he said Thompson’s behavior made it necessary. She’s been charged with resisting arrest, he said.
This story was originally published March 19, 2026 at 2:47 PM.
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