San Francisco 49ers defensive end Keion White was shot in the ankle early Monday morning in downtown San Francisco, just hours after Super Bowl LX concluded at nearby Levi’s Stadium.
The 27-year-old, acquired by the 49ers from the New England Patriots mid-season last year, was attending a post-event gathering when the incident occurred around 4 a.m.
Note to all athletes—and this can’t be stressed enough—go home by midnight. Always. Nothing good happens for rich, high-profile people after midnight.
According to the San Francisco Police Department’s preliminary findings, a verbal altercation broke out between two groups inside a business (reportedly a Mission District nightclub or club hosting a private party). White was not believed to be involved in the dispute but was struck by gunfire from an unknown suspect.
No other victims were reported, and no arrests have been made as the investigation continues.
San Francisco’s Crime Wave Claims Another Athlete Victim
The 49ers issued a statement confirming White was the victim of a shooting and sustained a bullet wound to his ankle.
White underwent surgery at a local hospital on Monday afternoon, which the team described as successful. His injuries are considered non-life-threatening and not career-ending at this time.
“Keion White was a victim of a shooting and sustained a bullet wound to his ankle this morning in San Francisco,” the team statement read. “He is currently undergoing surgery at a local hospital. We will provide further updates when appropriate.”
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This marks the second 49ers player to be shot in San Francisco in the past 18 months, following wide receiver Ricky Pearsall‘s wounding in an attempted robbery in August 2024. Pearsall took a bullet to his chest.
Pearsall was shot just days before the NFL season was set to begin. The shooting occurred when a 17-year-old attempted to rob him at gunpoint, leading to a struggle over the firearm.
Initially described as being in serious but stable condition, the first-round pick out of Florida was treated at San Francisco General Hospital. He was released the following day. His injuries, while severe, were not life-threatening.
23 year old 49ers wide receiver, Ricky Pearsall was shot in the chest by a 17 year old felon during an attempted robbery in broad daylight in San Francisco.
— Kevin Dalton (@TheKevinDalton) September 1, 2024
Why is Gavin Newsom silent? If this happened in Florida or Texas, he would’ve been virtue signaling for 15 straight hours… pic.twitter.com/DDWubgmHgu
It seems athletes are struggling to avoid crime in deep-blue San Francisco. It’s affecting their sports teams.
San Francisco Giants co-owner Buster Posey stated that his team may have lost out on the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes to the Los Angeles Dodgers when he was a free agent due to crime in the city.
“There’s been a bit of uneasiness with the city itself as far as the state of the city with crime and drugs,” Posey told the Atlantic.
Charles Barkley hilariously trolled the city during a broadcast of the 2024 NBA All-Star game.
“If you had a chance of being in the cold, or being around a bunch of homeless crooks in San Francisco, which would you take?” he asked. “You can’t even walk around down there.”
White found that out the hard way.