Teenager accused of shooting 49ers rookie faces charges

SAN FRANCISCO (NBC, KYMA/KECY) – The 17-year-old suspect accused of shooting 49ers rookie Ricky Pearsall during an attempted robbery in San Francisco last Saturday has been charged with attempted murder, prosecutors announced Tuesday.

“We have filed charges of attempted murder, including the allegation of personal discharge of a firearm and the personal and intentional discharge of that firearm,” said Brooke Jenkins, district attorney for San Francisco.

Jenkins announced the main charges against the juvenile suspect in the shooting death of 49er Ricky Pearsall in Union Square on Saturday afternoon.

The 17-year-old suspect from Tracy is scheduled to be arraigned at the city's juvenile justice center, but he could still be tried as an adult.

Jenkins is considering requesting a transfer hearing, which could move the case to adult court if a judge concludes that the juvenile justice system would not be appropriate for the minor's rehabilitation.

“I tried to make it clear that people will be held accountable when they commit crimes, certainly serious crimes of this nature,” Jenkins said.

Mayor London Breed defends herself against criticism of what she calls a “horrific and rare” shooting, saying that the public safety policies at Union Square actually worked.

“A police officer assisted. They were able [apprehend and arrest] the suspect [and] to recover the weapon. It happened exactly as it should have, given the resources we have available in the Union Square area downtown,” Breed noted.

“It's nothing short of a miracle that he came out of this so well. I'm so, so grateful that it all worked out the way it did,” said John Lynch, general manager of the San Francisco 49ers.

Lynch says the bullet passed through Pearsall's chest and back without hitting any vital nerves or organs. In fact, on Saturday night, just hours after the shooting, Pearsall was able to speak to his teammates via Facetime during the team's annual preseason party.

“By the grace of God, he is still here with us. We are praying for him. We love him and wish him a speedy recovery,” said 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyk.

The 49ers said Pearsall was at Union Square on Saturday to purchase luggage for the team's away games.

As a precautionary measure, Pearsall was placed on the reserve/non-football injured list, meaning he will miss at least the next four weeks, including Monday's season opener against the New York Jets.

“He's going to need this time physically. He's going to need this time emotionally and mentally. He was disappointed, but he understood that we put him on this list and what that entails,” Lynch said.

Because the suspect is a teenager, the prosecutor is not allowed to provide any further information about him.

As for the investigation, Jenkins says it is still unclear if anyone else was involved in the shooting or if it was a gang-related incident.