UW student accused of shooting WSU football player in custody
Sep 23, 2025, 4:10 PM | Updated: Jan 2, 2026, 12:11 pm
A UW student who allegedly shot a WSU football player is in custody. (Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
(Photo courtesy of KIRO 7)
A 20-year-old University of Washington (UW) student accused of shooting a Washington State University (WSU) football player is in custody, Pullman police confirmed to KIRO Newsradio.
The shooting occurred after a fight broke out at a weekend party near the WSU campus.
An arrest warrant was issued for the UW student, on suspicion of first- and fourth-degree assault, according to court documents filed in Whitman County Superior Court.
Police said the UW student allegedly shot 19-year-old Uilisone “Sone” Falealo in the abdomen early Sunday morning during a confrontation at a party at Aspen Heights Apartments on Northwest Cottonwood Lane, according to KIRO 7.
Pullman officers first heard of the shooting around 1:47 a.m. on September 21. When first responders arrived, they found Falealo seriously injured. He was transported to Pullman Regional Hospital by emergency crews and later underwent surgery. Officials say he is now in stable condition and is expected to recover.
Investigators said there is no ongoing threat to the public.
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UW student allegedly got into series of arguments
According to court documents, several witnesses at the party described a series of escalating arguments involving the UW student. The situation reportedly turned violent after the 20-year-old confronted two women at the gathering.
Surveillance footage and videos recorded by bystanders reportedly captured the fight. Detectives said the footage shows the UW student being knocked to the ground, pulling out what appeared to be a handgun, hitting Falealo with it, and firing a single shot during the struggle.
A 9mm shell casing was recovered from the apartment parking lot.
The UW student was later identified through Instagram, where witnesses recognized his profile. His photo matched the image on his Washington driver’s license, and his account listed him as a UW student from West Seattle.
This story was originally published on September 22, 2025. It has been updated and republished since then.
