Teenager accused of shooting 49ers player Ricky Pearsall 'deeply regrets', lawyer says

The 17-year-old accused of shooting San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall during a botched armed robbery last weekend was arraigned in juvenile court on Wednesday, a day after being charged with multiple crimes, including attempted murder.

Judge Roger C. Chan read the charges against the teenager, who was identified only by his initials because he is a minor. The charges include personal use and intentional discharge of a firearm, assault with a semi-automatic firearm and attempted second-degree robbery.

The young man, who police say lives in Tracy, about 70 miles east of San Francisco, sat facing forward during the brief hearing next to his court-appointed public defender, Bob Dunlap. His parents sat in the front row of benches reserved for the public, a few feet away from their son. His mother required a Spanish-speaking translator.

Assistant District Attorney David Mitchell said members of Pearsall's family also attended the hearing, but he did not say which relatives they were or whether they were present online or in person.

Neither the suspect nor his family have commented publicly. Answering questions from the media after the hearing, Dunlap said the teenager – whom he described as a high school student – and his parents were “very sorry” for the shooting.

“This is very, very hard for them,” Dunlap said. “They assured me, from what little I know, that this is not a good fit for him at all.”

Pearsall, 23, was walking back to his car alone Saturday afternoon after shopping at one of the luxury stores in San Francisco's Union Square district when, according to police, an armed man approached him and attempted to rob him, aiming at his Rolex watch. A scuffle ensued and the attacker's gun fired several shots, San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott said during a news conference Saturday evening. Both Pearsall and the attacker were shot.

A bullet struck Pearsall in the chest and exited through his back, missing his vital organs, his mother said in a social media post. He was treated at San Francisco General Hospital and released Sunday.

The suspect was shot in the left arm and was treated at the same hospital, police said. Dunlap said his client is bandaged but recovering well.

Dunlap said it was too early to answer questions about why the teen was in San Francisco or what his motives were. Dunlap said he had read a police report about the incident but had not yet been able to view video of the shooting, which investigators are compiling from surveillance cameras in the area. He believed that video would shed more light on what happened.

Read more:San Francisco 49ers rookie Ricky Pearsall released from hospital after gunshot wound during attempted robbery

He added that there were “mitigating circumstances” he believed could play into the case, but did not provide details. He also said he was not convinced the attempted murder charge would “hold up at the end of the day.”

A probation officer revealed during the hearing that the suspect has a pending case in San Joaquin County Juvenile Court. Officials did not provide details about that case, although Dunlap said his client will likely be transferred back to San Joaquin County after the San Francisco case is complete.

San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins has not yet said whether she plans to try the juvenile in adult court. That would require a ruling from a judge that “essentially means the juvenile justice system would not be able to rehabilitate this minor,” Jenkins said.

Dunlap said it would be inappropriate to move the case out of juvenile court.

“I think my client should definitely be treated like a minor. He is a minor,” Dunlap said.

Pearsall, who played for Arizona State and the University of Florida, was selected by the 49ers in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He sat out much of the NFL preseason with a shoulder injury.

The 49ers have placed Pearsall on the non-football injured list, meaning he will miss at least the first four games of the regular season. Team officials have said they expect him to make a full recovery.

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This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.