One of the women filmed making monkey noises and gestures at the apartment door of three black University of Mississippi students doubled when confronted at that moment, a woman who lives in the house told “CBS Morning.”
The video shows three women, who appear white, walking past the front door of the off-campus apartment where the three black students live on Friday. We see one hitting her chest. She and the second woman are seen and heard making monkey noises. The third woman in the video walks past the door without stopping.
Jakiyra Metcalf and Victoria Johnson live in the apartment, and Metcalf said she and Johnson came out to confront the women shortly after seeing the video on their doorbell.
Johnson said in Wednesday’s interview on “CBS Morning” that one of the women, later identified as Alaina Kunes, 18, apologized when they came outside to talk to her. Kunes told him and Metcalf that they did the same thing to four doors, adding, “We didn’t mean any harm,” Johnson said, adding that she didn’t see them targeting any other doors.
However, Johnson said the second woman, who was not identified and has not commented on the incident, increased her efforts when confronted.
“She continued to make these gestures after the girl apologized. 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 forgiveness from the apartment’s residents.
The three women living in the apartment told CBS they were “hurt and devastated” by the racist taunts and that it was “very disheartening.”
When asked if they could forgive Kunes, Metcalf said that whether or not Kunes knew his race and that of his roommates, the gestures and noises were “very disrespectful.”
“I just have mixed feelings about it,” Metcalf said.
Metcalf’s roommate, Kaiyden Caldwell, said she appreciated the apology, “but I feel like it still doesn’t change what happened that Friday because it’s still hurtful and it’s still devastating that someone would come on camera and do that.”
Kunes withdrew from college, a source close to her told NBC News. The status of the other women is unknown.
After the incident, Johnson said she wanted people to “be aware of their actions” and for others in similar situations to speak out instead of sweeping things under the rug.
“It’s a reality for us and I feel like voices need to be heard,” she said.
The university said in an email to students Sunday that it had opened an investigation.
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