Gus Malzahn Signing Day.JPG

Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn talks to the press on National Signing Day Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2015, at the Auburn Athletic Department in Auburn, Ala. (Julie Bennett/ jbennett@al.com)

Auburn coach Gus Malzahn apologized Tuesday to a veteran who says two Auburn football players harassed her and her service dog on her way to class that morning, according to Shari Duval, president of K9s for Warriors, the Florida-based organization that trained the dog.

Duval also told AL.com that the two players have acknowledged their actions and wish to apologize to the veteran. Mike Clardy, Auburn's director of university communications, issued a statement on the incident to AL.com early Wednesday morning.

"Auburn University condemns any behavior that is demeaning to those with disabilities. We're investigating the reports and will take all appropriate action once all the facts are known."

Ashley Ozyurt, 25, identified herself as the victim to WTVM late Tuesday night. Ozyurt is an Air Force veteran who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder stemming from sexual assault during her three years in the military.

Ozyurt, through Duval, declined repeated interview requests from AL.com on Tuesday to get a first-hand account of the incident. Duval told AL.com that Ozyurt asked her to speak on her behalf, and K9s for Warriors spread the story on Facebook Tuesday.

The two players were not identified by name, either by Duval in her correspondence with AL.com or by Ozyurt in her interview with WTVM.

According to Duval, Ozyurt was on her way to class in the Haley Center Tuesday morning when two football players "started verbally accosting her, mocking her, hissing, making kissing sounds" (at the dog) and insulted Ozyurt with profanity when she asked them to stop.

Without the service dog, Duval said, Ozyurt would not be able to attend campus.

After the incident, according to Duval, Ozyurt left campus before her class ended and did not return. Ozyurt was contacted by multiple members of the Auburn staff after the incident.