Jakori C. Buchanan, 20, will have his court arraignment Friday following official charges for his role in the shooting of a WSU offensive lineman at a party early Sep. 21.
Buchanan was charged with second-degree assault, fourth-degree assault and underage possession of a pistol during a court hearing Wednesday, according to court documents.
Buchanan is currently in the Whitman County Jail, where he was booked Sep. 30 following his arrest in Seattle. Whitman County Superior Court Judge Roger Sandberg set bail for Buchanan at $10,000 according to court documents.
The shooting occurred during an off-campus party hosted at Aspen Heights apartment complex shortly after the Apple Cup, according to police and court reports.
Surveillance videos and bystander film appear to show Buchanan firing at player Uilisone “Sone” Falealo in the abdomen following a fight.
Allegedly, Falealo, alongside teammates Jaylin Caldwell and Xavier Thorpe, were asked to work “security” at the door of the party. An altercation occurred between Falealo, Buchanan and Buchanan’s cousin,Marque Madden, when the former attempted to remove Buchanan for allegedly harassing a female party-goer, according to court documents.
Falealo underwent surgery shortly after the shooting and is now healing. It was determined the bullet wound was not life-threatening, according to the Pullman Police Department.
Following the shooting, Buchanan and his cousin quickly fled the scene in a vehicle that was later determined to be a rental. Buchanan later returned the car to the SeaTac airport.
Buchanan was found several days later in Seattle, hiding in his sister’s car, according to Dan LaBeau, Whitman County’s chief deputy prosecutor.
Buchanan’s attorney, Ronnie Rae, filed a notice Sep. 23 following the arrest that states Buchanan was acting in self-defense.
In a statement, Rae said Buchanan shot in defense following Madden being “severely injured.”
“Jakori intervened and saved his cousin’s life,” Rae said in a statement reported to the Spokesman Review.
The case remains open as officials attempt to retrieve the pistol used and continue to work out the events leading up to the shooting.
