49ers DE Ray McDonald’s Fiancee Allegedly Grabbed Gun During Prior Incident

Domestic violence and NFL players have dominated headlines over the past two weeks. In August, San Francisco 49’ers defensive end Ray McDonald was arrested on suspicion of domestic assault of his pregnant fiancée. Reportedly, she had visible injuries, but McDonald hasn’t been charged with a crime yet. A police report from May might have some insight into the reasons why.

Three months before McDonald’s arrest, police responded to his home after a woman allegedly grabbed a gun in an argument with her fiancée.

The May 25 report does not name either McDonald or the woman, but mentions an engaged couple living at the Bentley Ridge Drive home, where McDonald lives with his fiancée. Police made no arrests, and said in the report that the woman didn’t threaten the man and left when he threatened to call police.

“The prior police call opens up the issue of self-defense, that he was afraid of her in August because she pulled a gun on him in May, and grabbed her to just try and contain her,” said Santa Clara defense attorney Dan Jensen. “It’s a defense attorney’s dream. Her whole history of aggression, if there is one, becomes admissible because of that May incident.”

Some might argue for the opposite end of the spectrum, that perhaps she grabbed the gun to protect herself from him. But it goes to show yet another example of how complicated things can get in this situations. McDonald was arrested following an incident with his fiancée on August 31st following a birthday party at their home.