SF 49ers Receiver Ricky Pearsall’s Alleged Teen Shooter ‘Very Sorry,’ Attorney Says

The teenage boy accused of shooting San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall near Union Square on Saturday apologized to Pearsall and his family through his attorney on Wednesday at the San Francisco Juvenile Justice Center.

“I can say on their behalf that our thoughts go out to the Pearsall family and Mr. Pearsall himself,” Bob Dunlap, the teen’s lawyer and a deputy public defender, said at a press conference after the arraignment at  Juvenile Hall. “There’s genuine, genuine remorse in that regard.”

The 17-year-old teen, who is from Tracy, California, was apprehended fleeing the scene. He was transferred to San Francisco General Hospital for treatment of his injuries, including a gunshot wound he suffered during a physical struggle with Pearsall.

The teen’s parents were in the courtroom, as were representatives of Pearsall’s family.

Dunlap clarified that the teen would be held in San Francisco and would likely be sentenced in San Joaquin County, where he would face another unrelated charge. Dunlap couldn’t confirm what kind of gun was used in the shooting.

On Tuesday, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins charged the teen with attempted murder, assault with a semiautomatic weapon and attempted second-degree robbery. On Wednesday, her office added several gun-related charges.

The district attorney has not decided whether to try the teen as an adult, saying more time is needed to investigate and, if appropriate, file a petition to transfer the case to adult court. California law prevents prosecutors from charging a minor as an adult without judicial approval.

Both Dunlap and Judge Roger C. Chan, the juvenile court’s presiding judge, referred to the defendant by his initials. KQED is not identifying the defendant by his initials or by his name to protect his privacy because he is a juvenile who has not been charged as an adult.

While the court can legally allow reporters into the courtroom, juvenile courts are faced with the issue of balancing a juvenile’s privacy rights with the media’s right to access information, especially in high-profile cases.

Dunlap suggested that Pearsall’s celebrity and subsequent media interest in the case contributed to the attempted murder charge, as well as the debate of whether or not the teen would be tried as an adult.

“I don’t want the media presence in this case to warp the trajectory of what would normally happen in a case like this,” Dunlap said. “The status of the victim shouldn’t determine the outcome of the decision. My client should be treated as a juvenile. In the normal course of events, this would not warrant [transfer to adult court], and I hope that’s the case.

The teen will be back in court on Sept.10 for a pretrial hearing.

The suspect approached Pearsall at gunpoint over the Rolex watch near the corner of Geary Street and Grant Avenue. Pearsall and the suspect struggled over the gun, and during the tussle, both were shot, police said.

Video recorded by witnesses shows Pearsall in a daze in front of the Diptyque store, shirtless with blood streaming down his chest and a large bandage over the wound, as paramedics help him into an ambulance. Both Pearsall and the shooter were transferred to San Francisco General Hospital for care.

Pearsall’s mother posted on social media on Sunday that her son had been shot in the chest, with the bullet exiting his back and missing his vital organs. Pearsall’s wound did not require surgery, the 49ers confirmed in a statement, and the player was reportedly “back in the weight room” on Tuesday, according to General Manager John Lynch.

The attack on Pearsall has renewed fears over crime despite city data showing declining rates — in the first quarter of 2024, property crime fell by 32%, violent crime by 14% and gun violence by 38%, according to the city.

Concerns about public safety have remained a top issue for voters, and a high-profile shooting in broad daylight is a setback as San Francisco struggles to rehabilitate the image of downtown.

KQED’s Juan Carlos Lara contributed to this report.