An 18-year-old University of Mississippi student has publicly apologized after a doorbell-camera video appeared to show her making monkey noises and gestures outside an apartment occupied by three Black students. The footage has spread widely across social media, drawing angry reactions and putting the university under pressure to address the incident.
Alaina Kunes, a freshman at Ole Miss, released her apology on Tuesday, November 10. She addressed the three women affected and the wider university community, admitting that her behavior was insensitive, inappropriate and deeply hurtful. However, she also claimed she did not know the women’s race before the incident.
“Before the incident on November 6, I never met the women involved and was unaware of their race,” Kunes said in her statement. She acknowledged that her actions were harmful and said she regretted what happened.
Kunes also insisted that she would never deliberately make such noises or gestures toward a person of color. She said she had personally apologized to the women and understood that her words could not fully erase the hurt they experienced.
“They deserve to feel seen and understood,” she said. She added that the incident did not represent the person she was trying to become.
The apology came after Ring doorbell footage recorded on November 6 began circulating online. The video shows three women walking past the apartment entrance. Two appear to beat their chests and make monkey-like noises and gestures, while the third woman does not appear to take part.
Jakiyra Metcalf, one of the apartment’s residents, shared the recording on TikTok. The post quickly gained millions of views, bringing widespread attention to the incident. Metcalf said the women were neighbors who lived upstairs in the same apartment building.
The backlash has also brought serious consequences for Kunes and her family. In her statement, she said they had received death threats and harassment since the video became public. She thanked authorities for helping protect their safety and said she would cooperate fully with the university’s investigation. She also requested privacy as the matter continues.
The University of Mississippi has condemned the behavior shown in the footage. Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Shawnboda Mead said university officials had contacted the students directly affected and offered support and other resources.
Mead stressed that students should feel safe, respected and valued on campus. She also made clear that racism and conduct that demeans people because of their identity have no place in the university community.
The university has not announced any disciplinary decision against Kunes. Its investigation remains ongoing, leaving questions about what consequences, if any, the student could face.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi has also received complaints about the incident. Candi Richardson, the organization’s communications and community relations director, told TMZ that the group was reviewing the complaints. However, she said it had not determined whether any laws were broken.
There have also been claims online that the women were simply making animal noises as a joke while walking past several apartment doors. Those claims have been presented as an explanation for the behavior, but Kunes did not provide that account in her apology. Her statement also did not explain exactly why the gestures were made.
The incident has brought back memories of another controversy at Ole Miss in 2024. During a campus protest, a white student was filmed making monkey gestures toward a Black woman. The student was later expelled from his fraternity, bringing renewed attention to racial conduct and accountability at the university.
For now, Kunes has apologized, but the university’s investigation is still underway. Whether her apology will be enough to address the concerns raised by the women involved remains an open question.
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