An apology from an 18-year-old University of Mississippi freshman has added another chapter to a controversy that has drawn millions of views online. Alaina Kunes is facing widespread criticism after footage appeared to show her making monkey noises and gestures outside an apartment shared by three Black students in Oxford, Mississippi.
Kunes released a public statement on Tuesday, November 10, addressing the incident and apologizing to the women involved. She described her actions as insensitive, inappropriate and deeply hurtful, while maintaining that she did not know the women’s race before the encounter.
“Before the incident on November 6, I never met the women involved and was unaware of their race,” she said. Kunes added that she would never intentionally make such noises or gestures toward a person of color.
She also said she had personally apologized to the women affected. According to her statement, she recognized the pain her behavior had caused and understood that she could never fully know what the experience meant to them.
“They deserve to feel seen and understood,” Kunes said. She added that what happened did not reflect the person she was working to become.
The controversy began after a Ring doorbell camera recorded three women walking past an apartment on November 6. The footage shows two of them appearing to beat their chests and make monkey-like noises and gestures. The third woman walks behind them without appearing to participate.
Jakiyra Metcalf, one of the Black students living in the apartment, posted the footage on TikTok. The video quickly spread, attracting millions of views and prompting people to demand an explanation from the university.
Metcalf also said the women were neighbors who lived upstairs in the same apartment building. The fact that the incident happened outside the students’ own home added another concern to the growing public reaction.
Kunes has also spoken about the response she and her family have faced since the video went viral. She said they had received death threats and harassment. She thanked authorities for helping protect them and promised to cooperate with the university’s investigation.
Meanwhile, Ole Miss has publicly condemned the behavior captured in the recording. Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Shawnboda Mead said university officials had contacted the students affected and offered assistance, support and other resources.
Mead said the university wanted every student to feel safe, respected and valued. She also stressed that racism and behavior that insults people because of their identity would not be accepted within the campus community.
Despite the public apology and the university’s response, no disciplinary outcome has been announced. The investigation remains active, and the school has not disclosed what action it may take.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi is also reviewing complaints connected to the incident. Candi Richardson, the group’s communications and community relations director, confirmed to TMZ that the organization was looking into the matter. She added that no conclusion had been reached about whether any laws were violated.
Another issue surrounding the controversy is an explanation circulating online that the women were making animal noises for fun as they passed several apartment doors. However, Kunes did not include that explanation in her public statement, leaving questions about what prompted the gestures.
The incident has also revived memories of a similar controversy at Ole Miss in 2024. During a campus protest, a white student was filmed making monkey gestures toward a Black woman. That student was later expelled from his fraternity.
Now, the university faces fresh questions about how it will handle another incident involving racially offensive behavior. Kunes has expressed regret and apologized to the women, but the investigation has yet to produce a final decision.
For the students who found themselves at the center of the incident, the apology is only one part of the matter. The university’s next steps will determine how it addresses the complaints and what accountability looks like in this case.