NEED TO KNOW

• University of Miami lineman Damon Wilson II shared a string of racist messages he received via an Instagram Stories post on Saturday, Oct. 17

• Wilson, 21, received the messages after Miami’s 43–35 double-overtime win over Florida State University

• The Florida Bar has placed employee Kade McLendon, whose name appears on the account that allegedly sent the messages, on leave while it investigates

University of Miami defensive lineman Damon Wilson II shared a screenshot of a string of racist messages he received following his team’s recent victory over Florida State University.

Wilson, 21, posted the screenshot of messages from an account allegedly belonging to a man named Kade McLendon, which included a slew of racist and homophobic slurs, including the n-word, threats of sexual violence and references to enslaved people. He additionally levied threats against Wilson’s family.

“Glimpse into the life of a black student athlete,” Wilson captioned the screenshot on his Instagram Stories following the Hurricanes’ triumph over the Florida State University Seminoles on Saturday, Oct. 17. UMiami beat FSU in a 43–35 double-overtime game.

McLendon has worked as a computer technician at the Florida Bar since June 2024 and is a Florida State graduate, the Miami Herald reported, citing a now-deleted LinkedIn profile.

On Monday, Oct. 19, the Florida Bar announced it launched an investigation into the messages.

“The Florida Bar is aware of messages that were possibly sent from an employee’s social media account that contained inappropriate content, and we have started an internal investigation into this matter,” the Florida Bar wrote on X.

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“The Florida Bar has put employee Kade McLendon on administrative leave while the investigation is ongoing,” a spokesperson for the Florida Bar tells PEOPLE. “The messages in question are not only ethically and morally reprehensible but also violate our internal social media policy for employees.”

“As the internal investigation continues, we are committed to enforcing our policies and procedures while making sure that any due process rights are protected,” the statement adds.

PEOPLE was unable to reach McLendon for comment as of publication.

PEOPLE has reached out to UMiami athletics for comment.

Wilson started his college career at the University of Georgia for two seasons before he transferred to the University of Missouri last season. This is his first season at UMiami.

Read the original article on People