Student in Racist Frat Video Sorry for ‘Horrible Mistake’

A student who appeared in a video showing racist chanting by SAE fraternity members at the University of Oklahoma issued an apology Tuesday for his “horrible mistake.”

Parker Rice, reportedly one of the two students expelled by the university’s president Tuesday, said he was “deeply sorry” for his role in the events portrayed in the video. “It was wrong and reckless. I made a horrible mistake by joining into the singing and encouraging others to do the same,” he wrote in a lengthy statement first published in the Dallas Morning News. “On Monday, I withdrew from the university, and sadly, at this moment our family is not able to be in our home because of threatening calls as well as frightening talk on social media.”

The statement continues: “I know everyone wants to know why or how this happened. I admit it likely was fueled by alcohol consumed at the house before the bus trip, but that’s not an excuse.” Rice ends by saying he will seek help on how to learn from the incident and ensure it will never happen again.

Rice’s apology arrived shortly after an apology from the parents of Levi Pettit, who identified their son as a fellow OU student involved in the video’s making. “As parents of Levi, we love him and care for him deeply. He made a horrible mistake, and will live with the consequences forever. However, we also know the depth of our son’s character. He is a good boy, but what we saw in those videos is disgusting,” Pettit’s parents wrote in their apology on their website. “While it may be difficult for those who only know Levi from the video to understand, we know his heart, and he is not a racist.”

Several media outlets, including OU’s campus newspaper, have confirmed that Rice and Pettit are the two SAE members expelled Tuesday for playing a leadership role in the video.

[Dallas Morning News]