A woman from Missouri has been kicked out of the Air Force Reserve after taking part in a racist video.
Tabitha Duncan was a recent Air Force Reserve recruit, but has now been released from her duties after the footage went viral, days after she enlisted.
20-year-old Duncan has also been fired from her day job at the Social Bar & Grill in St. Louis.
The night-time footage has since been deleted from Facebook and shows Duncan drinking beer in a pickup truck along a dirt road with some unnamed companions, the New York Post reports.
In the video, an off-camera male voice can be heard asking Duncan:
So we going n***** hunting today or what?
The racist slur is repeated by another companion in a baseball hat, and the original speaker can be heard repeating the vile question.
It was at this point Duncan made the following response:
You get them n******.
The Air Force Reserve have now released the following statement in regards to the incident:
We have been made aware of a video online of an alleged reserve Airman who made racially insensitive comments. We are looking into the matter and we appreciate this being brought to our attention.
The U.S. Air Force values diversity and inclusion; our Airmen come together to produce an incredible team that can accomplish any mission and overcome any challenge.
We believe that our greatest asset is our diverse, innovative and technically-savvy workforce. Our Airmen come from all backgrounds and remarks such as these do not fall in line with our culture.
We take incidents like this very seriously and action will be taken upon further investigation as necessary.
The Social Bar and Grill have also released the following statement to River Front Times:
Social Bar & Grill and its owners have recently become aware of a vile, disgusting, and offensive video made by one of its employees.
Upon learning of this, Social Bar & Grill immediately terminated this employee as soon as they could reach her!
The incendiary comments made by this employee absolutely does NOT represent the views, opinions, and policies of Social Bar & Grill and its owners.
Nor will they be tolerated in any fashion. Social Bar & Grill and its owners continue to encourage and seek diversity in its restaurant.
Speaking with The New York Daily News, Duncan said:
I was underage drinking, and I said something stupid.
She added:
I was intoxicated, I have black friends, I have black people in my family. I didn’t mean it. I didn’t know that I was being [recorded].
I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt anybody, I was drunk. I need to seek help.
Following the shocking incident, Duncan shared a quotation on her personal Facebook page about making mistakes; apparently in relation to her racist comments.
Well done to the Air Force Reserve Command and to the Social Bar & Grill for refusing to tolerate this incident of racism.
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.