An NFL player is already back on the field to watch his team practice after being shot in the chest during an attempted robbery in broad daylight.
POWERFUL: #49ers WR Ricky Pearsall was shot just 2 inches below a tattoo of praying hands that he has on his chest, Kyle Shanahan says.
GOD IS GOOD 🙌🙌🙌
(via @kevinkruegs) pic.twitter.com/9KhqFDCWpS
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) September 5, 2024
Ricky Pearsall, a rookie receiver for the San Francisco 49ers, sustained a bullet wound to the chest on Saturday afternoon by a 17-year-old boy who tried to steal his Rolex watch at gunpoint. Pearsall reportedly got into a physical altercation with the suspect during the attempted robbery. The suspect — identified as a 17-year-old male from Tracy, California — was also injured during the altercation, with reports indicating that he was shot by his own gun when it went off during the struggle, and both he and Pearsall were transported to San Francisco General Hospital.
23 year old 49ers wide receiver, Ricky Pearsall was shot in the chest by a 17 year old felon during an attempted robbery in broad daylight in San Francisco.
Why is Gavin Newsom silent? If this happened in Florida or Texas, he would’ve been virtue signaling for 15 straight hours… pic.twitter.com/DDWubgmHgu
— Kevin Dalton (@TheKevinDalton) September 1, 2024
Police received a 911 call at 3:38 p.m. PT about the incident, with the caller reporting shots fired at the corner of Geary and Grant streets — just one block away from San Francisco’s Union Square. Pearsall reportedly headed to Union Square, where he was attacked, soon after signing autographs at an event center.
The San Francisco 49ers issued a statement about the incident Saturday evening, which explained that Pearsall was in “serious but stable condition” at the time.
San Francisco Police Chief William Scott has confirmed that the suspect was arrested following the botched robbery attempt, noting that there was “no indication” that the would-be robber targeted Pearsall because he is a professional football player. Law enforcement seized one gun after the incident and confirmed that multiple shots had been fired during the attempted robbery.
EXCLUSIVE: I obtained this surveillance showing people running away from where Ricky Pearsall was shot in Union Square on Saturday, August 31st.
You’ll see the 17-year old suspect run by 15 seconds later. He drops his gun and is gripping his left arm where he was shot during… pic.twitter.com/S9Q1fcH4Ze
— Dion Lim (@DionLimTV) September 4, 2024
Pearsall, who was selected by the 49ers in the first round with the 31st pick in the NFL draft out of the University of Florida, was placed on the reserve/non-football injury list on Monday and will reportedly be eligible to return for the team’s fifth game on October 6, where they will be playing against the Arizona Cardinals.
Despite his serious injuries, Pearsall was seen on the field watching his team practice on September 5 — just six days after being shot in the chest.
Ricky Pearsall was shot Saturday and he’s back on the practice field watching his 49ers teammates Thursday pic.twitter.com/F8v1p68oHw
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) September 5, 2024
Meanwhile, the teen was charged with attempted murder in juvenile court earlier this week, where his attorney claimed that he was “very sorry” for his actions.
His public defender, Bob Dunlap, told reporters after the arraignment that the teen was “genuinely very sorry that this did happen, as is his family. And I can say on their behalf, as well as on my own behalf, our thoughts go out to the Pearsall family and Mr. Pearsall himself.”
“So there is genuine, genuine remorse in that regard,” Dunlap claimed. “He is a young boy.”
Of course, the teen reportedly has another criminal case against him in his home county of San Joaquin, so it is highly unlikely that his remorse is genuine, as the earlier case did not stop him from continuing his criminal actions.
Superior Court Judge Roger Chan ruled that the 17-year-old will remain in custody in San Francisco, despite the teen’s probation officer’s request that he be transferred back to his home county.
