A Snapchat video obtained by Madison365 depicts four young men, at least one of whom lives in Waunakee, driving at night and loudly chanting the n-word out through the open car windows.
Social media posts indicate that most or all of the men are recent Waunakee High School graduates; Madison365 has been unable to independently verify their identities, however.
Warning: some may find the video upsetting.
The man who posted the video is a 17-year-old resident of Waunakee. Madison365 has chosen not to identify him as there are no criminal charges at this point.
Reached via Snapchat, he declined to comment.
The context in which the video was recorded remains unclear. It was apparently recorded late Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning. The text just before the video begins reads, “Fire and beer at my place tonight (hit me up).”
Waunakee Police did not receive any calls of racial slurs being hurled at anyone in particular Tuesday night or Wednesday.
“We are aware of it and we are investigating,” Waunakee Police Chief Adam Kreitzman said in an interview Thursday, calling it “unacceptable behavior” and saying he was unaware of it until someone called police midday Wednesday. Kreitzman said he couldn’t comment further as the investigation is ongoing. Police were still trying to get in touch with one of the subjects as of Thursday morning.
In a letter to parents, Waunakee School Superintendent Randy Guttenberg wrote, “we do not condone this type of behavior and are saddened to hear of the impact it is having on our students and community.”
