Teenager charged with attempted murder in shooting of 49ers rookie Ricky Pearsall

Published Sep 04, 2024  •  2 minute read

Police officers secure the area and investigate the scene of a shooting at Union Square in San Francisco. San Francisco Chronicle via AP

The teenager accused of shooting 49ers rookie Ricky Pearsall in a botched robbery attempt in San Francisco this past weekend has been charged with attempted murder.

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The 17-year-old, who remains unidentified, has been charged with attempted murder, assault with a semi-automatic firearm and attempted robbery, according to San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins.

Jenkins said the charges would be filed in juvenile court as opposed to adult court.

“No longer under California law can a district attorney choose to file those charges against a minor in adult court,” Jenkins said.

“The only mechanism for that is to request a transfer hearing, which requires that a judge rule on the minor’s fitness to be transferred to adult court, which essentially means that the juvenile system would not be equipped to rehabilitate that minor.”

The suspect is expected to be arraigned on Wednesday afternoon.

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Jenkins also said her office will “review the case more closely to determine whether or not we will seek that fitness hearing.”

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall participates at a practice in Santa Clara, Calif., May 29, 2024. Photo by Jeff Chiu /THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Pearsall, the 49ers first-round pick in this year’s draft, reportedly was shot by a teen who tried stealing his Rolex in the Union Square area of the city on Saturday afternoon around 3:30 p.m.

While the rookie was able to fight off the robbery attempt, one bullet struck him and another hit the suspect. The suspect was almost immediately arrested as he tried to flee on foot.

The wide receiver was shot in the chest, but the bullet exited his body without hitting any vital organs, according to his mother, Erin.

“First and (foremost), I want to thank God for protecting my baby boy,” his mother wrote on Facebook on Sunday. 

“He is extremely lucky, God shielded him. He was shot in the chest, and it exited out his back. Thanks be to God it missed his vital organs.” 

The 23-year-old was released from San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center on Sunday according to a statement from the team.

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Pearsall is expected to make a full recovery, but will miss at least the first four games of the season after being placed on the Non-Football Injury list. San Francisco’s first game is on Monday night at home against the New York Jets.

San Francisco general manager John Lynch does expect Pearsall on the field this season, saying it was “nothing short of miraculous” that he was doing as well as he is after the incident.  

“Oh yeah. He’s doing remarkably well,” Lynch added. “It’s kinda uncharted territory. It’s not every day you deal with something like this.”

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