A disturbing Ring doorbell recording from the University of Mississippi has sparked widespread outrage after showing two young women making monkey noises and gestures outside an apartment shared by three Black female students.

The footage, recorded on the evening of November 6, 2026, shows three women walking past the apartment before two of them appear to imitate monkeys directly in front of the doorbell camera. One woman beats her chest while making the sounds, while another moves closer to the camera and appears to repeat the behavior. The third woman walks past without visibly participating.

The recording was shared online by Jakiyra Metcalf, a Black freshman at Ole Miss, and quickly spread across social media. Viewers expressed anger over the behavior, while students and members of the public called on university officials to investigate and hold those responsible accountable.

The University of Mississippi has since confirmed that it is aware of the footage, condemned the conduct and opened an investigation through its student-conduct and equal-opportunity offices.

For Metcalf and her roommates, the incident was especially upsetting because the women were not simply strangers passing through the area. Metcalf later explained that they were neighbors who lived upstairs in the same apartment building.

THE INCIDENT WAS CAPTURED BY A RING DOORBELL CAMERA
The recording carries a timestamp of approximately 8:37 p.m. on Friday, November 6.

In the footage, three women approach the apartment entrance. Two of them appear to make monkey noises and gestures as they pass the door.

One woman is seen beating her chest and making the sounds, while another moves toward the Ring camera and appears to imitate the same behavior. The third woman remains behind them and eventually walks away.

Metcalf shared the video on TikTok the following day, questioning what the university would say about the incident.

Her post quickly attracted attention, with viewers sharing the recording across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and other platforms.

The footage reportedly accumulated millions of views within a short period, prompting widespread criticism and calls for the university to respond.

The behavior was particularly troubling because of the historical meaning associated with comparing Black people to monkeys or apes. Such imagery has long been used as a racist form of dehumanization, making the gestures especially offensive when directed toward Black students.

THE WOMEN WERE REPORTEDLY THEIR UPSTAIRS NEIGHBORS
After the recording began circulating, Metcalf provided additional information in the comments section of her TikTok post.

She explained that the women were not unknown individuals who had simply passed through the apartment complex.

“We just found out they are our upstairs neighbors,” she wrote.

That revelation added another dimension to the incident. The students were sharing a residential building with the women shown in the recording, meaning the encounter occurred in the immediate environment where they lived.

The apartment is shared by three Black female students, including Metcalf.

The fact that the incident occurred outside their own front door raised concerns about whether they could feel comfortable and respected in their living environment.

A mother of one of the students also spoke publicly after the footage emerged. She said the women involved lived upstairs from her daughter and her roommates.

In a Facebook post, she described the behavior as unacceptable and questioned what steps the university would take to address the incident.

Her message emphasized that students should be able to attend college, live independently and feel safe without being subjected to racial harassment.

OLE MISS CONDEMNS THE BEHAVIOR AND OPENS AN INVESTIGATION
On November 8, the University of Mississippi issued a statement confirming that administrators were aware of the video.

The university described the conduct shown in the recording as offensive, hurtful and unacceptable, adding that it conflicted with the institution’s values.

Officials also confirmed that the students targeted by the behavior had been contacted and offered information, resources and support.

The university said the incident was being reviewed by the appropriate offices and that it would follow established procedures to address the matter.

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Shawnboda Mead also communicated with the campus community.

Mead emphasized that racism and conduct targeting people because of their identity have no place at the university.

She said the institution remained committed to ensuring that students feel respected, valued and supported.

The university also explained that student-conduct investigations are protected by federal privacy laws. As a result, officials may be limited in what they can disclose about the identities of the individuals involved or any disciplinary action that may follow.

This means that even if the investigation results in disciplinary measures, the university may not be able to publicly explain every detail of the outcome.

SOCIAL MEDIA USERS BEGIN IDENTIFYING THE WOMEN — BUT THE NAMES ARE UNCONFIRMED
As the video spread, social media users began attempting to identify the women shown in the recording.

Several names and photographs circulated online, with some users claiming that the individuals were connected to Ole Miss student organizations.

However, those identifications have not been officially confirmed.

The university’s Alpha Phi chapter issued a statement distancing itself from the incident after names of women with similar identities were circulated online.

The chapter said people had confused the individuals being discussed with members who shared similar names.

It also warned that the false identification had caused distress to the women whose names and photographs were being shared, their families and the organization.

The chapter asked social media users to remove or correct inaccurate posts and stop circulating personal information about members who were not involved.

The University of Mississippi’s student-affairs leadership also clarified that no members of the university’s sororities were involved in the incident.

The distinction is important. While the video has prompted legitimate questions about the behavior shown, unverified online accusations can harm people who have not been established as participants.

At this stage, the identities of the individuals in the recording have not been publicly confirmed by the university.

BLACK STUDENT UNION SPEAKS OUT
The incident also prompted a response from the University of Mississippi’s Black Student Union.

President Demetrick M. Stringer Jr. issued a statement condemning the behavior and expressing support for the students targeted by the incident.

The organization emphasized that comparing Black people to monkeys carries a long and painful history.

The statement said the conduct had left the affected student and other members of the Black student community feeling unwelcome and unsafe.

The Black Student Union called for appropriate disciplinary action if the investigation establishes responsibility.

It also urged the university to ensure that students understand the institution’s expectations regarding respect and dignity.

The response reflected concerns extending beyond the three students living in the apartment. Other Black students said the incident affected how they viewed their own sense of belonging and safety on campus.

WHY THE INCIDENT HAS A PARTICULAR HISTORY AT OLE MISS
The University of Mississippi has a complicated history involving race and integration.

In 1962, James Meredith became the first Black student to enroll at the institution. His admission triggered violent resistance from segregationists, leading to a major confrontation on campus that required federal intervention.

The events surrounding Meredith’s enrollment remain an important part of the university’s history.

Although the institution has changed considerably since that period, incidents involving racial hostility continue to draw attention because of the historical context.

The latest video has also revived memories of a similar incident in May 2024.

During campus protests, a white student was recorded making monkey noises and gestures toward a Black female protester, graduate student Jaylin Smith.

That incident generated widespread criticism. The student was subsequently removed from his fraternity, Phi Delta Theta, and the university opened a student-conduct investigation.

The similarities between the two recordings have prompted renewed questions about how the university addresses racial harassment and whether its existing policies are sufficient to prevent repeated incidents.

For students who remember the 2024 controversy, the latest footage has been particularly disappointing.

STUDENTS AND PARENTS WANT ANSWERS
The video has triggered demands for accountability from students, parents, alumni and social media users.

Some have called for the women involved to be expelled if the investigation confirms that they violated university policies.

Others have urged the administration to explain how it plans to protect students who experience racial harassment in residential areas connected to campus life.

The mother of one of the affected students has also emphasized that the incident should not simply disappear after the initial wave of online attention.

Her concerns focus on the students’ ability to feel comfortable returning to their apartment and living alongside people who may have directed the behavior toward them.

For the three roommates, the issue is not limited to a video that went viral. It concerns their everyday living environment and the possibility of encountering the individuals again.

The university has said it has reached out to the students targeted and offered support resources.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
The investigation is now being handled through the University of Mississippi’s Office of Conflict Resolution and Student Conduct and the Office of Equal Opportunity and Regulatory Compliance.

Investigators will need to review the available footage, establish the identities of the individuals involved and determine whether university policies were violated.

The process may also involve interviews with the students, witnesses and other people connected to the apartment complex.

The university has not announced a final disciplinary decision.

Because student records are protected by federal privacy laws, officials may not be able to disclose the identities of the individuals involved or provide details about any sanctions.

For now, the institution has publicly condemned the behavior and confirmed that the matter is being taken seriously.

The identities circulated on social media remain unverified, and the university has specifically warned against false identification.

For Jakiyra Metcalf and her roommates, the next steps will involve more than waiting for an administrative decision. They must also continue living in an environment where the incident occurred just outside their front door.

The Ring camera captured only a few moments on November 6, but the recording has triggered a much wider conversation about racism, student safety and accountability at one of Mississippi’s most historically significant universities.

The university’s investigation will determine what action, if any, is taken against those responsible. Until then, the students involved and the wider campus community are waiting for answers.