Native American Students Detained: CSU Apologizes, Makes Changes

FORT COLLINS, CO -- One woman was not the only person who felt "paranoid" about two Native American students detained during a college tour at Colorado State University, the release of a 911 call recording shows.

"My husband said another dad on the tour also believes they don't belong. [The boys'] behavior's really suspicious, so they're watching them," the woman told campus dispatchers in a redacted recording of the call released by Colorado State. "I'm probably just being paranoid here," she told dispatchers, as she described New Mexico brothers Thomas Kanewakeron Gray, 17, and Skanahwati Lloyd Gray 19 as "Hispanic" from Mexico, and said they "didn't answer questions." She also said they made her feel "sick."

The brothers, who traveled alone for seven hours to attend the tour, were detained by CSU campus police on April 30 and lost track of the tour group. When they called their mother, Lorraine Kahneratokwas Gray, she told them to immediately return to New Mexico. Lorraine Gray said she feared the boys had been racially profiled by police and were in danger.

"It could have ended in a much more tragic way," Gray told KUNC. "Which we already know we've seen happen around the country with young men of color being shot to death for reaching for their driver's license or telephone."

Colorado State University released the police report, as well as body cam footage from the incident.

On Friday, the university tweeted that they would invite the brothers back for an all-expenses paid tour of the campus. As of Monday, the family had not made a decision about whether the boys would accept that offer.

Meanwhile, the student tour guide, Gabriella Visani, sent an apology to the boys' mother, which she posted on her Facebook page. Visani said she noted that the boys joined the tour late and weren't talkative.

"When they didn’t introduce themselves, I responded in the way that I have to countless other teenagers who don’t feel comfortable speaking in front of a group of 20 strangers – with a self-deprecating joke," Visani wrote.

I am so sorry that I did not know. I am so sorry that I could not have stopped this from happening. I am frustrated that the mother of the other student didn’t think to let me know that she was calling the police on my tour guests. I would have handled the situation entirely differently because there was no situation to handle – everything your sons said and did was something I’ve seen from many other tour guests over the course of my time in Admissions.

CSU President Tony Frank issued an apology on the university's website.

Two young men, through no fault of their own, wound up frightened and humiliated because another campus visitor was concerned about their clothes and overall demeanor, which appears to have simply been shyness. The very idea that someone – anyone – might “look” like they don’t belong on a CSU Admissions tour is anathema. People of all races, gender identities, orientations, cultures, religions, heritages, and appearances belong here. As long as you want to earn a great education surrounded by people with the same goal who come from every part of our state, our country, and our world, then you belong here. And if you’re uncomfortable with a diverse and inclusive academic environment, then you probably have a better fit elsewhere.

A GoFundMe site posted by a CSU administrator to raise money for the boys was deactivated after the family asked that donors support a non-profit organization run by Gray that had been set up before the incident.

The university has said they will re-evaluate their admissions tours process, including having tour participants wear lanyards.

"We have developed a new protocol by which CSUPD will make tour guides aware if they ever need to interact with a tour participant," the university posted. They also said they would better train student docents.

Image via GoFundMe