Ricky Pearsall’s mother has spoken out after the San Francisco 49ers rookie was shot on Saturday.
Pearsall, 23, was shot in the chest during an attempted robbery in San Francisco’s Union Square and is now in serious but stable condition, according to authorities.
The 17-year-old suspect was arrested at the scene and is now in custody, according to authorities.
The wide receiver’s mother, Erin, broke her silence on Sunday, less than 24 hours after the terrifying incident, to provide an update on her son’s condition.
She revealed the extent of the wide receiver’s injuries and thanked God for his safety.
Ricky Pearsall’s mother has spoken out after the San Francisco 49ers rookie was shot
Pearsall’s mother, Erin (right), provided an update on her son’s condition on Sunday.
“Update on my baby,” Erin wrote in a Facebook post, shared by The Athletic’s David Lombardi.
‘First and foremost, I want to thank God for protecting my baby. He is very lucky, God protected him.
‘He was shot in the chest and the bullet exited through his back. Thank God, it did not affect his vital organs. He is now in good spirits. Life is very precious, my friends.
‘Please love one another. My son was saved today by the grace of GOD. Please pray for my baby.’
Police say Pearsall was targeted for his Rolex watch after shopping at a high-end department store in the area.
Authorities say the robbery attempt failed when the 17-year-old suspect was hit by a bullet from his own gun during his struggle with Pearsall, who refused to surrender.
The suspect was wounded in the hand or arm and is in stable condition at San Francisco General Hospital pending arraignment, police said. Pearsall was wounded in the chest and is in serious but stable condition at the same facility.
Police released a statement Saturday night describing the incident.
Erin broke her silence in a Facebook post, less than 24 hours after the terrifying incident.
She revealed the extent of the wide receiver’s injuries while thanking God for his safety.
‘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.
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. All information is preliminary and more information will be provided as it becomes available. A press conference will be held this afternoon at San Francisco General Hospital.
‘This investigation is ongoing and active. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the SFPD tip line at 1-415-575-4444 or text SFPD to TIP411. You may remain anonymous.’
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.
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.
Police say the 17-year-old suspect was hit by a bullet from his gun during his fight with Pearsall.
Violent crime had skyrocketed in San Francisco during the pandemic, with 56 and 48 homicides in 2021 and 2020, respectively.
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.
Pearsall had performed well in training camp before his shoulder injuries.
Mayor London Breed speaks with other officials following the Pearsall shooting
Pearsall was reportedly shopping at an upscale department store in the area before he was shot.
With starting receiver Brandon Aiyuk waiting until this week, the 6-foot-1, 190-pound Pearsall impressed coaches and teammates with his grace.
“I don’t like to praise rookies too much, but I like his game,” cornerback Isaac Yiadom said in early August, as quoted by the Associated Press. “I think he’s got some confidence, too. He’s got some determination, so he knows that. He knows he’s pretty good. I just hope he keeps working. That’s what I like about him. He just gets to work. He just shuts up and gets to work.”
Coach Kyle Shannahan’s offense is notoriously difficult for young players, especially receivers, but Pearsall seemed to understand the scheme.
“I think I’ve made big strides since I got here,” Pearsall said. “At first, yeah, it was a little bit difficult. Coming into an offense like this is so complex, there’s so much to do. Trying to learn it all in one day is impossible. So I just kept telling myself over and over and every day how I could get better and know the playbook.”