Garner native, 49ers lineman Keion White shot in San Francisco hours after Super Bowl

SAN FRANCISCO (AP/WNCN) — Garner native and San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Keion White underwent surgery after being shot in the ankle early Monday morning.

The shooting happened hours after the end of the Super Bowl that was played at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.

“Keion White was a victim of a shooting and sustained a bullet wound to his ankle this morning in San Francisco,” the team said in a statement. “He is currently undergoing surgery at a local hospital. We will provide further updates when appropriate.”

San Francisco police said they responded to a shooting a little after 4 a.m. and found a victim from an apparent gunshot wound. Officers gave aid and called paramedics and said the victim was taken to a hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries. No arrests have been made.

“A preliminary investigation revealed a verbal altercation occurred between two groups inside a business,” police said in a statement. “The victim was injured when shots were fired by an unknown suspect. All information is preliminary at this time, and more information will be provided as it becomes available.”

White joined the 49ers midway through this season after a trade from New England. White’s old team, the Patriots, lost the Super Bowl on Sunday night to the Seattle Seahawks. The 27-year-old White just finished his third season in the NFL.

He played at Garner Magnet High School before spending three years of his college football career at Old Dominion from 2017 to 2020.

White ultimately transferred to Georgia Tech, where he suited up for the Yellow Jackets for his final two seasons, using his extra year of eligibility granted to NCAA athletes in the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Patriots eventually selected him in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

This is the second time in the past 18 months that a 49ers’ player has been a victim of a shooting in San Francisco. Receiver Ricky Pearsall was shot in the chest during a robbery attempt on Aug. 31, 2024. A teenager is awaiting trial in juvenile court in that case.