Washington State OL Sone Falealo shot by University of Washington student at party after Apple Cup

Washington State redshirt freshman offensive lineman Sone Falealo was reportedly shot by a University of Washington student at a postgame party in Pullman early Sunday morning following last Saturday’s Apple Cup rivalry game, according to The Spokesman-Review. The shooting occurred just hours after the visiting Huskies routed the host Cougars, 59-24, inside Martin Stadium.

“Washington State University can confirm that one of our student-athletes was the victim of a shooting that occurred at an off-campus gathering,” WSU spokeswoman Pam Scott said in a statement to The Spokesman-Review. “The student is currently recovering and his family is with him in Pullman.”

Pullman Police identified 20-year-old Washington student Jakori Buchanan as the suspect in the shooting, and secured an arrest warrant Monday afternoon, charging him with first- and fourth-degree assault, according to the Spokesman-Review.

Buchanan’s attorney told the Spokesman-Review that the shooting was in “self-defense” and that Buchanan’s cousin was “severely injured” in the fight that resulted in the shooting. Buchanan’s attorney, Ronnie Rae, told the paper that she’s coordinating her client’s return to Pullman “to turn himself in now that his cousin is receiving the urgent medical care he requires.”

“Jakori intervened and saved his cousin’s life,” Rae’s statement said, per the Spokesman-Review.

Falealo, a 6-foot-6 and 310-pound redshirt freshman who transferred in from Idaho, has yet to play a snap for the Cougars. But that didn’t stop him from working as party security alongside Washington State teammates Jaylin Caldwell and Xavier Thorpe, both fellow offensive linemen, at the Aspen Heights Aparments in Pullman, per court documents reviewed by the paper.

According to those court records, Buchanan allegedly assaulted a girl at the party, who told police the Washington student attempted to punch her in the face but missed and hit her in the chest instead. After he allegedly tried to punch her a second time, she punched back. At this point, the three Washington State offensive linemen attempted to intervene, per court records reviewed by the Spokesman-Review.

Falealo reportedly confronted Buchanan, leading to him being shot, though the Cougars offensive lineman “didn’t remember much after that,” per court records. Falealo is expected to make a full recovery, according to the Spokesman-Review.

Thorpe reportedly called police after Buchanan and several friends sped away in a rented dark sedan, which helped Pullman identify Buchanan as the driver. Buchanan hasn’t been arrested as of Monday afternoon, per the paper.