Family business of Ole Miss student said to have made monkey noises outside black students’ door, now being sued over alleged racist incident

The family business of an Ole Miss student, who was allegedly caught making monkey noises in a viral video on TikTok, is facing a lawsuit over alleged racism by its employees. Alaina Kunes, who was one of three University of Mississippi students identified in the viral video shared over the weekend, publicly apologized for the incident.

However, the widespread backlash may have been the first domino to fall for Kunes’ household. According to court documents obtained by TMZ, the Wisconsin-based Kunes Auto Group is currently fighting a lawsuit over alleged workplace racism involving one of its employees. Alaina’s father, Scott Kunes, is the company’s former COO, and her grandfather reportedly also holds an executive position there, according to the outlet.

TMZ reported that a Wisconsin-based woman named Makayla Starks, who is biracial, claims she was subjected to racism at the Kunes Buick GMC in early 2025. She said she purchased her car from the dealership and returned months later for a complimentary oil change. During that visit, an unidentified employee allegedly printed a sticker containing a racial slur and placed it on her windshield.

Two separate racist incidents allegedly occurred at the same company

At the time, the company said in a social media statement, “We are deeply disturbed and saddened by the incident that has come to light involving one of our employees and a customer, her sense of safety and dignity,” according to the outlet. “We want to be unequivocal: this behavior and the hateful sentiment it implies are absolutely against our values as a company. There is no place for racism or discrimination within our dealership or community.”

In the lawsuit — which names the dealership and a man identified as John Doe as defendants — Starks claims she suffered emotional distress, humiliation, and anxiety. She said she cried in her car for 20 minutes after seeing the sickening sticker, the Wisconsin Law Journal reported.

Earlier this year, another Kunes customer reportedly complained that a salesman sent her a racist text message featuring a photo of a dancing ape wearing a bathing suit. In both incidents, a spokesperson for Kunes Auto Group stated that the company immediately terminated the employees involved and publicly declared the conduct unacceptable and contrary to its values. Separately, the spokesperson told the New York Post that Scott Kunes left the auto company in February and the Ole Miss student also “has no employment, ownership, or professional affiliation” with the company.

Alaina, along with two other women, was captured on a Ring doorbell camera appearing to make racist gestures outside an apartment where three Black students lived. The footage, originally shared by Ole Miss student Jakiyra Metcalf, showed Alaina and another woman beating their chests and making monkey noises, while the third woman laughed.

Kunes is the only one out of the trio who has publicly confirmed her involvement, telling CBS, “I would have never intentionally made those noises or gestures toward a person of color.” She said she has also personally apologized to the women she insulted.