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One of the women caught on camera making monkey noises and gestures at the apartment door of three Black Ole Miss students doubled down when confronted at the time, a woman who lives in the home told “CBS Morning.”
The video shows three women, who appear to be white, walking by the front door of the off-campus apartment where the three Black students live Friday. One is seen beating her chest. She and the second woman are seen and heard making ape noises. The third woman in the video walks by the door without stopping.
Jakiyra Metcalf and Victoria Johnson live in the apartment, and Metcalf said she and Johnson went outside to confront the women shortly after seeing the video on their doorbell.
Johnson said in Wednesday’s “CBS Morning” interview that one of the women, later identified as Alaina Kunes, 18, apologized when they stepped outside to speak with her. Kunes told her and Metcalf they had done the same at four doors, adding, “We didn’t mean any harm,” Johnson said, adding that she did not see them target any other doors.
However, Johnson said the second woman, who has not been identified and has not commented on the incident, doubled down when confronted.
“She continued to make the gestures after the girl was apologizing. It was like a slap in the face,” Johnson told CBS.
Kunes apologized Tuesday for the racist gestures, saying she recognized her actions “were insensitive, inappropriate, and deeply harmful.” She also said she was “unaware” of the women’s race until the video gained national attention and said she hoped for the apartment residents’ forgiveness.
The three women living in the apartment told CBS that they were left “hurt and devastated” by the racist mockery and that it was “very disheartening.”
Asked whether they could forgive Kunes, Metcalf said that whether or not Kunes knew her and her roommates’ race, the gesture and noises were “very disrespectful.”
“I just have mixed feelings about it,” Metcalf said.
Metcalf’s roommate Kaiyden Caldwell said she appreciates the apology, “but I feel like it still doesn’t change what happened on that Friday because it’s still hurtful and it’s still devastating that someone would come to our camera and do that.”
Kunes has withdrawn from the university, a source close to her told NBC News. The status of the other women is unknown.
After the incident, Johnson said she wants people “to be mindful of their actions” and for others in similar situations to speak out instead of sweeping things under the rug.
“This is a reality for us and I feel like voices need to be heard,” she said.
Mississippi University said in an email to students Sunday that it has launched an investigation.
Suzanne Gamboa is a national reporter for NBC News.
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One of the two young women seen on a viral video making racist gestures outside the apartment of three Black Ole Miss students apologized for her actions.
Alaina Kunes, 18, said in a statement Tuesday that she did not know the people who lived in the apartment and was “unaware of their race” until the Ring doorbell camera video that captured the moment Friday gained national attention.
The video shows Kunes and two other women walking by the front door of the off-campus apartment where the three Black Ole Miss students live. Kunes is seen beating her chest. She and a second women, who has not been identified and has not commented on the incident, make ape noises. A third woman in the video just walks by without stopping at the door.
“To the women I offended and to the Ole Miss community, I sincerely apologize,” Kunes said in her statement. “I recognize my actions were insensitive, inappropriate, and deeply harmful.”
Kunes said she apologized to the women who live in the apartment directly. “I pray they will forgive me,” she said.
“I can never truly understand the pain I have caused them and it was never my intention. These girls deserve to feel seen and understood and what I did is not a reflection of who I am trying to become,” Kunes said.
The University of Mississippi launched an investigation into the incident, Shawnboda Mead, the school’s vice chancellor for student affairs, said in an email sent to the campus Sunday.
In it, Mead described the viral video as “showing University of Mississippi students engaging in racist gestures directed toward other students.”
Kunes has since withdrawn from the university, a source close to the 18-year-old told NBC News. It’s unclear what the enrollment status is of the other women in the video.
The University of Mississippi did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
Tasha Bolton, the mother of one of the three Black Ole Miss students, wrote about the incident in a Facebook post Saturday. Bolton said her daughter is a freshman at the university and lives in the off-campus apartment with two Black roommates. She described the women filmed on the doorbell camera as her daughter’s 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 said about the video in her post. “We want answers. Specifically, what steps will be taken to address this behavior and ensure accountability?”
Kunes said she intends to fully cooperate with the university’s investigation.
“I would have never intentionally made those noises or gestures toward a person of color,” she said in her statement apologizing for the incident. “I understand the seriousness of this situation and remain committed to taking responsibility and learning from this embarrassing ordeal.”
Kunes also requested privacy for herself and her family and alleged that they have been harassed over the past several days and received death threats.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi is also looking into complaints it has received about the incident, Candi Richardson, the organization’s director of communications and community engagement, said Monday.
Nicole Acevedo is a news reporter for NBC News.
George Solis is a national correspondent with NBC News.
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Goldstein: 0.0CAMEO 01
One of the two young women seen on a viral video making racist gestures outside the apartment of three Black Ole Miss students apologized for her actions.
Alaina Kunes, 18, said in a statement Tuesday that she did not know the people who lived in the apartment and was “unaware of their race” until the Ring doorbell camera video that captured the moment Friday gained national attention.
The video shows Kunes and two other women walking by the front door of the off-campus apartment where the three Black Ole Miss students live. Kunes is seen beating her chest. She and a second woman, who has not been identified and has not commented on the incident, make ape noises. A third woman in the video just walks by without stopping at the door.
“To the women I offended and to the Ole Miss community, I sincerely apologize,” Kunes said in her statement. “I recognize my actions were insensitive, inappropriate, and deeply harmful.”
Kunes said she apologized to the women who live in the apartment directly. “I pray they will forgive me,” she said.
“I can never truly understand the pain I have caused them and it was never my intention. These girls deserve to feel seen and understood and what I did is not a reflection of who I am trying to become,” Kunes said.
The University of Mississippi launched an investigation into the incident, Shawnboda Mead, the school’s vice chancellor for student affairs, said in an email sent to the campus Sunday.
In it, Mead described the viral video as “showing University of Mississippi students engaging in racist gestures directed toward other students.”
Kunes has since withdrawn from the university, a source close to the 18-year-old told NBC News. It’s unclear what the enrollment status is of the other women in the video.
The University of Mississippi did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
Tasha Bolton, the mother of one of the three Black Ole Miss students, wrote about the incident in a Facebook post Saturday. Bolton said her daughter is a freshman at the university and lives in the off-campus apartment with two Black roommates. She described the women filmed on the doorbell camera as her daughter’s 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 said about the video in her post. “We want answers. Specifically, what steps will be taken to address this behavior and ensure accountability?”
Kunes said she intends to fully cooperate with the university’s investigation.
“I would have never intentionally made those noises or gestures toward a person of color,” she said in her statement apologizing for the incident. “I understand the seriousness of this situation and remain committed to taking responsibility and learning from this embarrassing ordeal.”
Kunes also requested privacy for herself and her family and alleged that they have been harassed over the past several days and received death threats.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi is also looking into complaints it has received about the incident, Candi Richardson, the organization’s director of communications and community engagement, said Monday.
Nicole Acevedo is a news reporter for NBC News.
George Solis is a national correspondent with NBC News.
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