UNT football player under fire for posting a Snapchat video featuring animal-on-animal violence
UNT football player Khairi Muhammad posted a video to his Snapchat Sunday which involved the attack and killing of a raccoon by dogs as a group of people, including Muhammad, watched and recorded.
The video was then screen recorded and posted to Twitter Sunday afternoon by Twitter user @holli_sparks. Her video, which along with all her tweets and responses relating to this have since deleted, was seen more than 1,700 times. Another Twitter user, @bbyjesus_, also posted a screen recorded version of the video and his tweet was viewed more than 110,000 times before being deleted on Tuesday.
In a message to the Daily, Holli wrote that she is a student and has had Muhammad on her Snapchat for about a year, but does not know him personally.
“This is sick and upsetting,” she wrote in her initial tweet with the video attached. “If you force animals to fight and laugh and record it for your entertainment…[YOU’RE] SICK. This isn’t hunting, THIS IS ANIMAL TORTURE.”
In several tweets that followed, Holli tagged UNT President Neal Smatresk, UNT police and head football coach Seth Littrell, all of whom have yet to respond.
“On a college football team, you’re supposed to be a LEADER, CHILDREN look up to you,” Holli tweeted.
Holli also tweeted that she sent Muhammad a message that included the Texas animal cruelty laws, to which he allegedly responded “good thing we’re not in Texas.”
Muhammad posted a statement addressing the video to his Twitter late Sunday evening.
“I understand that the video that I took and has been posted to social media was in bad taste and sincerely apologize for the insensitive nature of the content,” Muhammad wrote. “I understand that I represent a lot of people and my actions also reflect on them. I will learn from this and use it to make better decisions in the future.”
Muhammad was contacted by the Daily for comment prior to the statement he tweeted, but he did not return comment.
On Monday morning, university spokesperson Leigh Anne Gullett released a statement.
“A member of our football team posted a video to social media portraying activities that do not represent the values UNT encourages,” she said in the statement. “We have high expectations for our community members to behave in a manner that positively represents the university. Furthermore, the university has a student code of conduct, which all students are required to follow. While the player has since removed the video and apologized, our Athletics program plans to use this as a teaching moment.”
Featured Image: A still from Khairi Muhammad’s Snapchat story. The video was first posted by Twitter user @holli_sparks on Jan. 27, 2019, however, she has since deleted the post. Courtesy Twitter.
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to reflect that the original posts from Twitter user @holli_sparks and @bbyjesus_ have since been deleted. The story was also updated to include the university’s statement after its release Monday morning.
Thank you for posting! His apology does not convey that he truly understands how disturbing his behavior is. The link between animal cruelty and psychiatric disorders is well documented!
Yes, AMEN!!! Get him off a college campus!!!
HUSH UP SHELLY BEFORE THE DOGS GET SET LOOSE ON YOU
Shelly these dogs gone get a taste for you next!
People are always jumping to conclusions. If you listen closely, it sounds as if Mr. Muhammad, is actually commenting to the active participants, nearing the end of the video, that this is crazy and they have gone too far.. Anybody knows, that you have no control over what other individuals are going to do in real time, via SnapChat, and from further research, It was apparent that Mr. Muhammad, was visiting the premises with other associates, in an undisclosed location, (not his home), and from the angle of the camera, he doesn’t appear to be in as close, a proximity as the other active participants, who literally encourage and then run from the wild animals as they attack their prey. It’s a wonder why so much emphasis is directed toward, Mr. Muhammad & UNT, as opposed to the real culprits that are actually visible in the video, and the SnapChat sniper, who reposted the video, rallied the lynch mob, for what appears to be the least involved party,(Mr. Muhammad), and then deleted her post, and went back to her peace- breaking ass life. In the words of y’all President-#FakeNews. And just for the record, I’ve seen police officers release dogs on human beings, that were way more passive than that raccoon, these attacks can usually be viewed in live footage, on any local / national news channel, and I don’t think any of your social media pages reflect any comments / legal advice/ testimonies / testi-Lies about those issues. #CountThe#ofPeopleYouSeeIntheVideo..
but you just want to zero in on 1.. #Why???
According to the Dallas News story, “Causing a dog to fight with any other animal is a misdemeanor in Texas, SPCA of Texas spokeswoman Maura Davies said.” So this student should be arrested, charged, and expelled.
except…. if it did not happen in Texas, then it is not a misdemeanor in Texas.
Dude, you have no idea when or even where that video was taken. If it was in another country, or made years ago, or what. So running around trying to gather up a lynch mob of social justice warriors is a bit premature, in my opinion.
You’re wrong, Tom. It could lead to 2 felonies 🙂 it was updated in the 6pm news. I hope he gets a fine or go to prison. Obviously he’s a sycho and won’t end inflicting pain and torture to animals and humans. He was enjoying seeing an animal torture and laughed about it. I hope something is done.
Yeah.. I’m going to go out on a limb here and say nobody is going to listen to you, given that your profile image is a klan member.
Made in another country? Are you that ignorant and in denial KKK Tom?
Get outta here! Taking in joy in cruelty to animals is a signifying trait in a lack of humanity towards humans as well… kinda like wearing a KKK hood.
What a piece of low quality trash. This shows the real person he is
You piece of garbage.. I’ve got my rescue community to make sure try to make that you lose your scholarship and everything that you enjoy at this school.. Why would you hurt an innocent animal? It was safe in a cage safe and sound nobody could hurt it but then you let it go and you let the dogs kill it? And now you make the decision to az pologize? Sick sick sick.. This is how serial killer start… I’m going to make sure that this college knows you’re not fit to play for football or make adult decisions.. You do no need to be at this wonderful university..you are DAMAGED
I’m hoping you get arrested for animal cruelty have to serve your time and start all over again… You need help psychological help for your I hope to God was my campaign that’s going to dark when the phone line to open at you and T that you’re taken off the football team arrested and serve your time.. You have a long road ahead of you Mr. Mohammed
With plenty of landscape shots and pictures of cars, I suspect Barney Fife could track it down.
Nice outfit, Tom. Is that your evening wear?
All these people need to be tossed in jail. Disgusting.
Fact check. Let’s throttle back on the Ted Bundy serial killer profiling. I assume no one here has been hunting, and no one here eats meat. Cows aren’t born as burgers, if you guys didn’t know (I can smell the hypocrisy) . He was a bystander who recorded it from a distance and has had to shoulder the blame for that MISTAKE. He’s a kid who made a decision to post it on social media, as kids tend to do these days. They post dumb stuff. Taking his education and opportunity away from him because of this is a bit much. He’s no Mike Vick. He’s just an idiot who stood far away and didn’t intervene. A mistake similar to Junie B (@bbyjesus_) using racial slurs “n***er” to be exact, on the same twitter account he used to retweet this video and take a stand against Khairi Muhumad. Kids being young and dumb. Talk to them, teach them.
Oh cry about it some more…its not like they hurt the raccoon themselves. Dogs and cats tear up “innocent” animals all the time. its called NATURE
He should not be kicked off the team for this.
Because this is Texas, and college football is for some, bigger than God – the student will be coddled and treated with deference. This is not a kid being “young and dumb”. This is an adult who is a free moral agent. An adult who filmed the taunting, ripping apart, beating with sticks, and death of an animal which provides value to our ecosystem.
But then again – football trumps it all: rape, drug use, vandalism, etc.
UNT calling this a “teaching moment” provides cover for a crime.
Let the dogs have some fun!
Thank you i am sick over this he needs to go to jail this was unnecessary. I hope this destoys this sick human being enjoying two dogs killing an innocent animal your a terrible person you get what you deserve