A Washington State football player has been identified as the victim of a shooting following the annual Apple Cup game between the Cougars and the rival Washington Huskies.
Responding to a reported shooting around 1:47am on Sunday morning, Pullman Police found the Cougars’ Uilisone ‘Sone’ Falealo with gunshot wound to his stomach, according to court documents obtained by the local CBS affiliate, KREM.
Falealo was rushed to the hospital and underwent emergency surgery to remove the bullet, which did not damage any organs, according to court records.
The Pullman Police Department is now searching for a 20-year-old suspect identified as Jakori C. Buchanan, a black male standing 5-foot-7 and 143 pounds. Buchanan was last seen wearing a white shirt, blue jeans and white shoes. He’s believed to have fled the scene in a grey 2025 Hyundai Sonata with Minnesota plates (REW514).
A warrant has been issued for Buchanan on charges of first and fourth-degree assault.
The department believes he may be going to Seattle with companions and he should be ‘considered armed and dangerous.’
Responding to a reported shooting around 1:47am on Sunday morning, Pullman Police found the Cougars’ Uilisone ‘Sone’ Falealo (pictured) with gunshot wound to his stomach
An Anchorage native, Falealo previously played at Idaho before transferring to WSU
On Sunday, a cryptic post appeared on Falealo’s Instagram page showing him holding a bottle of water with the caption: ‘Never loss a breath thank you god’
Buchanan is caught in surveillance footage fighting the 6-foot-6, 310-pound Falealo before loading a gun, firing a shot and fleeing in the Hyundai, according to court documents. He is also accused in the court documents of striking a female guest at the party.
The school has released a statement confirming that it was a WSU student who was shot, adding that the individual is currently recovering.
‘Washington State University can confirm that one of our student-athletes was the victim of a shooting that occurred at an off-campus gathering,’ read the statement to KREM. ‘The student is currently recovering and his family is with him in Pullman.’
The shooting is believed to be an isolated incident, according to Pullman Police.
An Anchorage native, Falealo previously played at Idaho before transferring to Washington State and redshirting in 2025.
On Sunday, a cryptic post appeared on Falealo’s Instagram page showing him holding a bottle of water with the caption: ‘Never loss a breath thank you god.’
The post also includes the image of Jesus. However, it’s unclear when the photo was taken and Falealo doesn’t appear to be injured in the picture.
The Cougars fell to the rival Huskies, 59-24, in the annual Apple Cup on Saturday night in Pullman. They now move on to face Colorado State on the road this Saturday.
