Three women were captured on a Ring doorbell camera making monkey noises and gestures outside an apartment shared by Black students at the University of Mississippi on November 6, 2026.
The recording, time-stamped at approximately 8:37 p.m., shows two of the women approaching the entrance, making monkey noises, and beating their chests while a third walks past, as reported by the Hindustan Times.
Black Americans are being found hanging in 2026. For generations, Black people were lynched while institutions stood by and did nothing. We cannot repeat that history. I’m demanding a full investigation from the DOJ. pic.twitter.com/qCD807el5G
— Post by @RepJasmine on X
University freshman Jakiyra Metcalf shared the footage on TikTok the following day, asking viewers what they had to say about the incident, according to Newsweek. In subsequent comments on the platform, Metcalf stated that the individuals in the video are their upstairs neighbors.
The apartment belongs to a Black freshman at the university who shares the off-campus residence with two other Black students. Metcalf noted in public posts that there had been no previous confrontation, argument, or history between them and the women living above them.
According to timestamped details, the video was uploaded to TikTok two hours after it was recorded on Friday evening. The clip rapidly accumulated massive attention online, viewing counts climbing past 11.5 million views across platforms as the footage was widely shared and reposted.
University Officials Launch Investigation into Offensive Video
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Shawnboda Mead released a statement confirming that the institution launched an active review through the Office of Conflict Resolution and Student Conduct and the Office of Equal Opportunity and Regulatory Compliance, as detailed by The Daily Mississippian. University officials condemned the footage in official remarks.
The university is aware of a video depicting offensive, hurtful, and unacceptable behaviors that conflict with our university values, and we condemn them. The university has reached out to those targeted by the actions to share information, resources, and support.
The University of Mississippi, Official Statement
The administration also noted that student conduct records and disciplinary actions remain protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, according to Aol.
Mead cautioned the public against sharing unverified names after online discussions incorrectly identified individuals not involved in the recording, noting that false claims caused undue harm. Online discussions had circulated names including Lauren Mayfield, Alaina Kunes, and Sara Whitehead, while administrators verified that no sorority members were involved.
Broader Student and Community Reactions
Student groups and local figures voiced sharp condemnation following the viral spread of the clip. Black Student Union President Stringer Jr. issued a statement noting that directing such imagery at a student’s residence leaves members feeling unwelcome and unsafe, per The Daily Mississippian. The university’s Alpha Phi chapter separately clarified on Instagram that none of the individuals under investigation were members of or affiliated with their chapter.
Tasha Bolton, the mother of one of the residents, shared the footage on Facebook and demanded accountability from the university, describing the actions as absolutely disgusting and unacceptable while emphasizing that college should be a place where young adults can feel safe. Vincent Ford, the grandfather of one of the students, also spoke out about the emotional impact on his family and called for swift accountability from the institution.
Campus community members expressed dismay over the setback to inclusion efforts. University of Mississippi sophomore Olivia Landgreve told Action News 5 that seeing such actions occur on campus is very upsetting given the perceived progress, as cited by Demokratis.
The White House similarly characterized the behavior as undignified and racist, while Chancellor Glenn Boyce addressed the campus community in a letter stating that such incidents can set the university back. The institution’s historical background remains a backdrop for ongoing discussions regarding race on campus, recalling the university’s integration in 1962 when James Meredith enrolled amid a deadly riot.