Alaina Kunes Says She Regrets Her Actions as University of Mississippi Faces Questions Over Viral Incident

 An apology from an 18-year-old University of Mississippi freshman has become central to a controversy drawing national attention. Alaina Kunes issued a statement Tuesday, November 10, after doorbell-camera footage showed her and another woman appearing to make monkey-like noises and gestures outside an apartment shared by three Black students in Oxford, Mississippi. Student Jakiyra Metcalf posted the recording online, prompting questions about the treatment and safety of Black students living near campus.

The incident took place November 6. The footage shows three women walking past the apartment; two appear to turn toward the doorbell camera and make the gestures and sounds, while the third walks behind them without visibly joining in. Metcalf, one of the residents, shared the video on TikTok. She said the women were neighbors who lived upstairs in the same building. The clip attracted millions of views within days, bringing the incident well beyond Oxford and the university community. That detail intensified concern because the conduct occurred outside the students’ home, where they should feel secure. 

In her statement, Kunes called her actions insensitive, inappropriate and deeply harmful. She said she had not met the women before the incident and did not know their race. She maintained that she would never intentionally direct such noises or gestures toward a person of color. Kunes said she had personally apologized, acknowledged she could not fully understand the pain caused, and hoped the women would feel seen and understood. Her statement did not explain what prompted the behavior. 

Kunes also said she and her family had received death threats and harassment after the footage circulated. She thanked authorities for helping protect them, pledged to cooperate with the university’s investigation and asked for privacy. Those claims do not resolve the concerns raised by the students who live at the apartment. The incident has prompted widespread criticism online in recent days and calls for the university to respond and support those affected. 

The University of Mississippi condemned the conduct as troubling, hurtful and unacceptable. Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Shawnboda Mead said staff had contacted the students affected to hear their concerns and connect them with resources. The school said the matter was being reviewed through its student conduct and equal opportunity offices. Officials cited student privacy laws as a limit on what they can disclose about individual students or possible disciplinary action. 

There has since been a development in Kunes’ status. The university confirmed to Action News 5 that she is no longer a student, but did not clarify whether she withdrew voluntarily or was removed. Other reporting has described her departure as a withdrawal, but the university did not specify the circumstances. The second woman seen making the gestures has not been publicly identified. The American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi is also reviewing complaints, without reaching a conclusion about whether laws were violated. 

The apology, university response and questions surrounding Kunes’ departure leave important issues unresolved. The school has not announced a final finding or disclosed a disciplinary outcome, and the other woman’s role has not been publicly addressed. For Metcalf and her roommates, the incident began outside their apartment and became a national story after the video spread. The university says support is available as its review continues; further action remains unclear. No completion date has been announced.