Former New England Patriots defensive lineman Keion White was shot in the ankle while in downtown San Francisco this morning, the team revealed in a statement. He underwent emergency surgery.
“Keion White was a victim of a shooting and sustained a bullet wound to his ankle this morning in San Francisco. He is currently undergoing surgery at a local hospital. We will provide further updates when appropriate,” the 49ers’ statement said, per The Athletic’s Matt Barrows.
The San Francisco Police Department also released a statement.
“A preliminary investigation revealed a verbal altercation occurred between two groups inside a business. The victim was injured when shots were fired by an unknown suspect,” they said, according to Barrows.
Barrows added that White is “expected to be OK,” while White is “not believed to have been part of the altercation” that resulted in the shooting.
A spokesman for the San Francisco Police told The Athletic that White was shot at 4:06 a.m., adding that “our officers are working diligently on this investigation and we’re following multiple leads.” They added that there are “no other victims and that no arrests have been made.”
This is a developing story and will continue to be updated.
Keion White Was Selected By The Patriots In 2023
GettyKeion White of the New England Patriots.
Keion White was part of Bill Belichick’s final draft class, being selected in the second round with the 46th overall pick. The six-foot-five, 285-pound defensive lineman appeared in 16 games as a rookie, finishing with 26 total tackles, one sack, and three stuffs. In his second season, he had many excited for the future, finishing with 56 total tackles, five sacks, two forced fumbles, five passes defended, and 6.5 stuffs.
However, when Mike Vrabel took over, he overhauled the entire roster, which ultimately resulted in White getting traded to the San Francisco 49ers in October. The Patriots received a 2026 6th-round pick, while the 49ers got White and a 7th-round pick.
So far for San Francisco, he’s appeared in nine games, recording 1.5 sacks and six quarterback hits.
49ers WR Ricky Pearsall Was Shot In San Francisco In 2024
GettyRicky Pearsall
This is the second time in recent years that a player on the San Francisco 49ers was the victim of a shooting, after wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was shot in the chest during an armed robbery near Union Square on Aug. 31, 2024.
“My adrenaline was rushing. I didn’t feel, really, much pain at all. It was just more of like a burning sensation,” Pearsall told ESPN in an interview following the scary situation. “I definitely thought about my family … not knowing if I was going to tell my family I love them again.”
A physical altercation occurred before Pearsall was shot in the chest. The suspect fled the scene but was arrested shortly after. Meanwhile, Pearsall was transported to San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, being listed in serious but stable condition.
Miraculously, the receiver still managed to return to the field before the season was over, making his debut in Week 7.
Former Patriots Draft Pick Undergoes Surgery After Getting Shot In Ankle