Ole Miss student housing incident sparks apology and investigation

An 18-year-old woman identified as Alaina Kunes apologized after a video captured her and two other White women making monkey noises and gestures outside an off-campus apartment that houses three Black students at the University of Mississippi. The footage, recorded by a Ring doorbell on November 6, shows one woman pounding her chest while making the noises, a second leaping and vocalising, and a third walking past silently.

Kunes issued a statement through law firm Gardiner Koch Weisberg & Wrona, saying she was unaware of the residents’ race before the incident and that her actions were “insensitive, inappropriate, and deeply harmful.” She added that she had apologized to the students and asked for forgiveness, acknowledging she could not fully understand the pain caused.

A source close to Kunes told NBC News that she has withdrawn from the university. Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Shawnboda Mead described the behavior as “deeply troubling, hurtful, and unacceptable,” announced an investigation and cautioned against misinformation on social media, noting that one student had been incorrectly identified in the video.

Kunes’ attorneys noted that her father, Scott Kunes, is a former chief operating officer of Kunes Auto Group, a family-owned business, but the 18-year-old has never worked for or owned the company. The firm issued a statement saying the individual in the video has no employment or professional affiliation with the company and declined to comment on private citizens.

Kunes also reported that her family has received death threats and harassment, thanking authorities for their protection and requesting privacy while she cooperates with the university’s investigation.