A 17-year-old has been charged in relation to the shooting of San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced Tuesday (September 3) night via the New York Post.
The teenager, who remains publicly unidentified, was charged with attempted murder, assault with a semi-automatic firearm and attempted robbery, according to Jenkins, who confirmed that the charges would be filed in juvenile court and that the suspect was scheduled for arraignment Wednesday (September 4) afternoon.
“No longer under California law can a district attorney choose to file those charges against a minor in adult court,” Jenkins said via the New York Post. “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.”
Jenkins confirmed that her office planned to “review the case more closely to determine whether or not we will seek that fitness hearing.”
The 49ers confirmed that Pearsall was released from the hospital on Sunday (September 1) afternoon in a statement shared on their website and the rookie was placed on the reserve/non-football injury list, which will force him to miss at least the first four games of the 2024 NFL season. Pearsall’s mother, Erin, confirmed that her son was “shot in the chest” but the bullet “exited his back” in a post shared on her Facebook account that was re-shared by David Lombardi of the Athletic.
“Update on my baby boy. First and far most I want to thank God for protecting my baby boy. He is extremely lucky, GOD shielding him. He was shot in the chest and it exited out his back. Thanks be to GOD it missed his vital organs. He is in good spirits right now. Life is so precious my friends. Please love eachother. My son was spared today by the grace of GOD. Please pray for my baby,” Erin wrote.
The Niners previously confirmed that Pearsall, 23, was “in serious but stable condition” after being “the victim of an attempted robbery and shooting” in a statement shared on its official website and social media accounts on Saturday (August 31).
“San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was the victim of an attempted robbery and shooting this afternoon,” the Niners said. “He sustained a bullet wound to his chest and is in serious but stable condition. We ask that you please respect his privacy at this time. Our thoughts and prayers are with Ricky and the entire Pearsall family.”
The Niners’ update came after fellow wide receiver Deebo Samuel wrote “he’s good…thank God” amid speculation of Pearsall’s status after the reported shooting.
Pearsall was selected by the Niners at No. 31 overall in the first-round of the 2024 NFL Draft. The Arizona native spent his first three collegiate seasons at Arizona State before transferring to the University of Florida, recording a career-best 65 receptions for 965 yards, as well as four touchdowns, in 2023.
Pearsall was ruled inactive for the Niners’ three preseason games due to a shoulder injury and limited to just 19 of the team’s training camp practices, but had recovered and was competing for playing time prior to San Francisco’s upcoming Week 1 Monday Night Football matchup against the New York Jets on September 9 prior to the shooting.
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