The bodycam footage captured by police during arrests at a rally that took place at North Carolina Central University in April has been released. 

Durham County Superior Court Judge Michael J. O’Foghludha ruled in June that all relevant police body camera footage from the April 16 protest at NCCU must be released to those challenging their arrests. 

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That footage was released Thursday and had no restriction on sharing or public use.

Attorneys for these four protesters say NC Central argued to only release part of the body camera video, while they wanted to release all of it, and the judge agreed with them. 

Former adjunct history professor Daniel Atwood, and four other people were arrested during the student-led demonstration about poor housing conditions on campus. In April, frustrated students gathered to complain about mold, air conditioning and heat problems and bugs.

In June 2025, over two months after the April 16 protest, NCCU summer program students said they were enduring sweltering conditions, as they reported a lack of air conditioning in dorms and classrooms, despite university claims of recent repairs. 

The university said the April rally appeared to be sponsored by "a significant number of people who are not NCCU students or otherwise affiliated with the university." 

After the names of those arrested were released, the university issued a statement to acknowledge that most of those protesting were, in fact, members of the campus community. Of the five people detained, the primary organizer was not affiliated with the university, while the remaining four are affiliated with NCCU, the university said.

The statement continued:

"All non-NCCU-affiliated private groups are required to follow established procedures to host events on campus. ... These expectations were communicated to the non-NCCU-affiliated private group that organized the April 16 protest on campus."

When asked for comment on Friday, NC Central told WRAL News they do not comment on pending legal cases.

Those arrested included:

  • Daniel Atwood, charged with misdemeanor count of resisting a public officer
    • Jose Estrella, charged with three misdemeanors of failure to disperse on command, second degree trespassing and resisting a public officer
      • Moriah Flowers, charged with misdemeanor count of resisting a public officer
        • Makaila Tinsley, charged with two misdemeanors and one felony of assaulting a law enforcement officer.
          • Jaylen Glascoe was arrested, but did not appear in the same court as the four above. He is the only person arrested not affiliated with the university.

            Atwood, Estrella and Flowers are represented by Southern Coalition for Social Justice (SCSJ), and Tinsley is represented by Emancipate NC. NCCU said Estrella is not affiliated with the university.

            The footage shows an officer demanding that Esrtrella leave campus before taking him down to the ground and placing in handcuffs. In video of the Atwood arrest, the clip begins with Atwood already on the ground.

            "I work here, you know what the [expletive], I'm gonna file a lawsuit, all of this is [expletive] up," Atwood is heard saying. "These are students asking for better housing."

            Another officer is heard telling Estrella, shown with a bullhorn, to leave campus before grabbing his arm. Another officer enters the frame and Estrella goes down.

            "This protest wasn't sanctioned by the university, and you were told that, were you not?" an officer says to Estrella as she sat in a police vehicle.

            "Sure, but they didn't even give me an option before they tackled me," Estrella can be heard saying.

            In a statement sent to WRAL News, Emancipate NC attorney Dillon Sharpe said, "Our clients, all members of the NCCU community, were exercising their constitutionally protected right to voice legitimate concerns about unacceptable living conditions at North Carolina Central University. Their April 16 arrests were unwarranted, and we will vigorously challenge them in court."

            Their next court date is Sept. 22.

            The student protest advocated for better student housing conditions on NCCU's campus. 

            NCCU students chanted “we need housing” and “no housing, no peace” during the rally.

            "A lot of our dorms currently have mold in them," said Waverly Hill, a freshman student at NCCU. "A lot of them are very old and haven't been renovated in a really long time."

            Hill said students have said they have bugs and flooding in their residence halls. She said there were "terrible living conditions and we pay all this money."

            A NCCU spokesperson provided a statement about the university's housing conditions.

            "We are exploring off-campus housing partnerships, hosting off-campus housing fairs and helping students understand the responsibilities of living off campus," the spokesperson wrote.

            After the protest, NCCU Chancellor Karrie G. Dixon responded to those who rallied on campus Wednesday with three words: "We hear you."