FORMER OLE MISS STUDENT APOLOGIZES FOR RACIST VIDEO
An 18-year-old former Ole Miss student who was caught on camera making monkey noises outside the apartment of three Black students has issued a public apology.
Alaina Kunes released a statement on November 10, 2026, apologizing to the women who live in the apartment and to the broader campus community. She claimed the November 6, 2026, incident was a mistake and that she did not know who lived inside.
“Before the incident on November 6, I never met the women involved and was unaware of their race, however, I recognize my actions were insensitive, inappropriate, and deeply harmful,” Kunes said in a statement to TMZ.
“I would have never intentionally made those noises or gestures toward a person of color,” Kunes said. She added that she had personally apologized to the women and prayed they would forgive her, saying that the targeted women “deserve to feel seen and understood.”
The incident was captured on a Ring doorbell camera. In the 13-second clip, three white women walk past the door. Two of them make monkey-like noises and gestures, while the third walks behind them without participating.
Jakiyra Metcalf, an Ole Miss student who lived in the apartment, posted the footage to TikTok. According to People, the video received more than 11 million views.
Following the viral post, the university probed the video and released a statement condemning the behavior as offensive, hurtful and unacceptable. The school launched an investigation through its Office of Conflict Resolution and Student Conduct, as well as its Office of Equal Opportunity and Regulatory Compliance.
Kunes stated that she intended to fully cooperate with the university’s investigation. However, she also asked for privacy, noting that the situation had escalated off campus.
According to Kunes, she and her family received death threats and harassment in the days after the video circulated online. She thanked authorities for helping ensure her family’s safety.
While the university investigation was ongoing, officials confirmed to People that Kunes is no longer a student at the school.
