Ole Miss student apologizes after racist gestures captured on video

An 18-year-old University of Mississippi student has apologized after a doorbell camera recorded her and another woman making monkey noises outside an apartment shared by three Black students. The university is investigating the incident, which drew widespread attention after the video was posted online.

Alaina Kunes said in a statement Tuesday that she did not know who lived in the off-campus apartment and was “unaware of their race” until the video gained national attention. She said her actions were harmful, while denying that she intended to direct the gestures at a person of color.

“To the women I offended and to the Ole Miss community, I sincerely apologize,” Kunes said. “I recognize my actions were insensitive, inappropriate, and deeply harmful.”

The Ring camera footage, recorded Friday, shows Kunes beating her chest as she and another woman make ape noises near the apartment door. A third woman walks past without stopping. The second woman has not been publicly identified and has not commented, NBC News reported.

Jakiyra Metcalf, a freshman who lives in the apartment, posted the clip to TikTok on Saturday, The Guardian reported. It had drawn nearly 13 million views, according to the newspaper. Metcalf’s mother, Tasha Bolton, said her daughter lives with two Black roommates and described the women in the video as their upstairs neighbors.

“This is absolutely disgusting and unacceptable. College is supposed to be a place where young adults can learn, grow, and feel safe,” Bolton wrote on Facebook Saturday. She called for answers about what steps the university would take to address the behavior and ensure accountability. Bolton’s husband, Brooks Bolton, told The Guardian the family was not yet speaking publicly about the ordeal.

Shawnboda Mead, the university’s vice chancellor for student affairs, said Sunday that the school had launched an investigation. In an email to campus, Mead described the footage as showing university students “engaging in racist gestures directed toward other students,” NBC News reported.

“Every student deserves to feel safe, respected, and valued at the University of Mississippi,” Mead said, according to The Guardian. “Racism and actions that disparage people because of an aspect of their identity have no place in our campus community.” Mead said the university had contacted the affected students to offer support and hear their concerns, and urged people not to share unverified information about those involved.

Kunes said she had apologized directly to the apartment’s residents and would cooperate with the investigation. “I would have never intentionally made those noises or gestures toward a person of color,” she said. “I have apologized to the women, and I pray they will forgive me.”

Kunes also said she and her family had received harassment and death threats, and asked for privacy. A source close to her told NBC News she had withdrawn from the university. The enrollment status of the other women in the video was unclear, and the university did not respond to Tuesday inquiries reported by NBC News and The Guardian.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi is looking into complaints it received about the incident, a spokesperson told NBC News.