VALDOSTA, Ga. (WALB) - College graduation night is normally a moment of celebration. At Valdosta State University’s (VSU) graduation ceremonies on Dec. 13, a moment — that was captured on video — gained the attention of thousands.

The now viral video posted by @x.gas on TikTok, after VSU’s undergraduate commencement ceremonies on Saturday has over 300,000 views, 3,000 shares, and and 50,000 likes.

The video shows a man who appears to be a VSU a police officer approaching members of the Kappa Upsilon Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc, who are dressed in their regalia performing a step in celebration after walking across the stage.

The video’s caption reads “Valdosta State Police Interrupted AKA Step on Grad Night.”

The chapter’s president, Kayla Griffin, said in a statement that the step routine has been a tradition for years for their members to gather in Bailey Science Center.

“It is a tradition for the Kappa Upsilon chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. to step and stroll in the Bailey Science Center after graduation to celebrate our graduated members’ accomplishments together,” Griffin said. “The stepping was peaceful, non-disruptive and no safety concerns were communicated prior with the interaction causing confusion and concern among those in attendance. All in all, we are proud of our graduates and their achievements at Valdosta State University.”

We asked Valdosta State officials if they were aware of the video, and if they knew what led to the officer’s decision to “interfere” with the celebration.

In response to the video, VSU released the following statement, in part:

“After Commencement, Bailey Science Center was scheduled to close, but the doors didn’t lock as planned. An officer worked to secure the building once the issue was discovered. We appreciate how much this milestone means to our graduates and their families, and we’ll review our processes to help ensure future celebrations go smoothly.”

WALB is working to learn what VSU plans to do in the future when it comes to celebrations like these.

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