San Francisco 49ers rookie Ricky Pearsall was released from the hospital Sunday after being shot during an attempted robbery, the team confirmed.
Pearsall, 23, who was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in April’s NFL Draft, was shot in the chest during an attempted robbery in San Francisco’s Union Square and was said to be in stable but serious condition.
The franchise revealed Sunday, just 24 hours after the terrifying incident occurred, that the wide receiver had been released from San Francisco General Hospital and will continue his recovery at home.
“San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was released from the hospital this afternoon as he continues to recover from a gunshot wound to the chest,” the team announced in a statement Sunday afternoon.
‘He and his family, along with the entire San Francisco 49ers organization, would like to thank the San Francisco Police Department, emergency medical services, doctors and staff at San Francisco General Hospital.’
San Francisco 49ers rookie Ricky Pearsall was released from the hospital Sunday after being shot.
It’s unclear how long the young wide receiver will be sidelined as he continues to recover from the gunshot wound.
Last August, then-Washington Commanders rookie Brian Robinson Jr. was the victim of gunshot wounds to the leg and hip when he was shot while leaving a restaurant in Washington DC’s Near Northeast neighborhood.
The Alabama native completed a remarkable comeback in October to play against the Tennessee Titans, just six weeks after being shot twice in an attempted carjacking.
Earlier on Sunday, the Arizona native’s mother, Erin, shared an update on her son’s condition, revealing that he had been shot in the chest and the bullet exited through his back, thankfully missing any vital organs.
Police say Pearsall was targeted for his Rolex watch after shopping at a high-end department store in the area.
A 17-year-old suspect was arrested at the scene and is now in custody, according to authorities.
The robbery attempt failed when the suspect was hit by a bullet from his own gun during his struggle with Pearsall, who refused to surrender, authorities said.
The suspect was injured in the hand or arm and is said to be in stable condition at San Francisco General Hospital, awaiting arraignment, police said. It is currently unclear whether he has also been released and is in police custody.
Pearsall was treated at the same facility.
The wide receiver (pictured with girlfriend Victoria Moraga) was treated at San Francisco General Hospital.
He was shot in the chest during an attempted robbery in Union Square, San Francisco.
Pearsall’s mother, Erin (right), provided an update on her son’s condition on Sunday.
Chronicle reporters saw five shell casings at the location, where Pearsall had reportedly been shopping moments earlier.
A witness told the Chronicle that Pearsall had blood running down his left arm.
“It was a scary situation,” the witness, who asked not to be identified, told the Chronicle.
In fact, Pearsall was seen walking away from the shooting on Saturday.
As seen in a video shared on X by KTVU’s Zak Sos, emergency responders carried an injured Pearsall to a waiting ambulance, where he was placed on a stretcher. Pearsall was moving slowly during the footage, which was filmed from the opposite side of the street. He didn’t appear to be in too much distress, but was covering his chest area.
KGO-TV’s Dion Lim reported that Pearsall was signing autographs at the Cow Palace before heading downtown to Union Square to do some shopping. Lim’s sources say he was at a high-end designer store moments before he was shot.
Police released a statement Saturday night describing the incident.
‘On August 31, 2024, at approximately 3:37 p.m., San Francisco Police Officers responded to the area of Geary Street and Grant Avenue following a report of a shooting,’ reads the statement provided to DailyMail.com. ‘Upon arrival, officers located two male subjects suffering from injuries. Officers rendered aid and medics transported both subjects to a local hospital for further medical evaluation.
Pearsall moved slowly during the footage, which was filmed from the opposite side of the street. He did not appear to be in too much distress.
As seen in a video shared on X by KTVU’s Zak Sos, first responders carried the injured Pearsall to a waiting ambulance, where he was placed on a stretcher.
Blood and a bullet casing labeled as evidence are seen as police officers secure the area.
Police officers secure the area and investigate the scene of a shooting in Union Square
Pearsall was reportedly shopping at an upscale department store in the area before he was shot.
‘During the preliminary investigation, officers learned that one of the subjects attempted to rob the victim, San Francisco 49ers player Ricky Pearsall. During the attempted robbery, a physical altercation occurred and both the suspect and victim were injured. The suspect is in custody and charges are pending at this time.’
Mayor London Breed called the shooting a “freak and terrible incident in Union Square.”
Breed called the incident a “setback” for an area that has seen crime decline in 2024.
“Sometimes data gets lost when something like this happens,” Breed was quoted as saying by the Chronicle.
San Francisco has been plagued by shootings for years, though Breed boasted in April that violent crime was down 14 percent compared to the same period in 2023. Specifically, gun violence was down 38 percent during the first quarter of 2024, according to City Hall.
Violent crime had skyrocketed in San Francisco during the pandemic, with 56 and 48 homicides in 2021 and 2020, respectively.