Chapman student arrested after racist, homophobic rant is caught on video

A man who was caught on video spouting an expletive-laden racist and homophobic rant and destroying property at Chapman University “is no longer a student” at the school, officials said Thursday.

“Racist and homophobic conduct will not be tolerated on this campus, and we took decisive and swift action,” Chapman President Daniele Struppa said in a statement posted to Twitter. “A situation such as this is difficult, it affected many and we want to provide the needed support as we all move through this difficult time.”

Dayton Kingery, 21, was taken into custody Tuesday at Orange County Jail in Santa Ana and booked on suspicion of making criminal threats and felony vandalism for allegedly breaking a computer inside a backpack that he stomped during a tirade, Orange police Sgt. Phil McMullin said.

Kingery, who police say was intoxicated at the time, also resisted arrest, scuffling with a university public safety officer who is over 65, resulting in an additional charge of elder abuse, McMullin said.

Jail records show Kingery posted bond and was released from custody Wednesday.

A video that was posted to Twitter on Tuesday shows a man seated inside what appears to be a classroom. After announcing that he’s been drinking, the man uses the N-word as well as a homophobic slurs and begins railing against black and gay people.

A separate video also posted to Twitter shows the same man, now standing, arguing with someone in the room, saying, “You don’t know who I am, guy. I’m not kidding ... bury you. I’m worth, like, $50 million.”

He then seems to poke another man in the classroom, using a homophobic epithet to address him. At that point in the video, other students shepherd the man out of the room and toss him a backpack.

“That’s not my backpack,” the man says, before hurling it down the hallway, chasing after it and jumping on it.

Struppa initially addressed the incident Tuesday night on Twitter, saying, “This type of behavior is absolutely not tolerated” and said he wanted “to extend my deepest apologies to the black and LGBTQIA communities who were specifically targeted during today’s incident.”

“Together, we must create a safe environment for all students, faculty and staff,” Struppa said. “Each one of us is equally responsible and accountable for a campus climate that respects our differences and celebrates our diversity.”

Times staff writer Priscella Vega contributed to this report.