A former Wichita Falls police officer has been indicted by a grand jury for his role in the controversial and violent arrest of Victoria Lang, a 19-year-old Black autistic college student, at a McDonald’s restaurant in August 2025.
According to body camera footage released by the city on May 6, 2026, Officer Daniel Wilson was captured choking, dragging, and hogtying Lang after she was in the restaurant restroom changing clothes and freshening up. Lang had been locked out of her dorm room upon arriving at college and went to the McDonald’s while waiting for housing arrangements. A store manager called 911, reportedly claiming she had been in the restroom too long and assuming she was homeless.
The Wichita Falls Police Department later described Wilson’s use of force as “unnecessary and excessive.” Wilson was fired in November 2025, while the second officer at the scene, Douglas Gulley, resigned. The department conducted an internal review following the incident and implemented additional training on de-escalation, crisis intervention, and proper arrest techniques.
The grand jury’s indictment of Wilson, handed down days after the public release of five angles of bodycam and cruiser video, marks a significant step toward accountability in a case that has drawn widespread attention and outrage over the treatment of a vulnerable individual with autism.
Interim Police Chief Mitch Bates stated that the actions were “not reflective of the values” of the department and emphasized ongoing efforts to rebuild community trust.
The case has sparked broader conversations about police interactions with neurodiverse individuals, racial bias, and the use of force against people experiencing housing instability or mental health challenges.
