A 17-year-old gunman shot Ricky Pearsall, a first-round draft pick in the 2024 NFL draft, on Saturday, police and eyewitnesses tell KTVU. The Fox affiliate’s news division reports that a teenager, who has not been publicly identified, tried to rob the San Francisco 49ers rookie on Geary Street, which is near the Union Square area of San Francisco, around 3 p.m. local time. After a struggle, gunfire wounded both Pearsall and the suspect.
KTXL, another Fox affiliate, is reporting that the robber was attempting to take Pearsall’s Rolex during the struggle. Pearsall and the alleged gunman were both hospitalized after the incident, with KTVU obtaining witness footage showing paramedics aiding a bloody Pearsall into an ambulance. The 23-year-old wide receiver is considered in stable condition; there is no word on the robbery suspect’s condition, though he is in police custody.
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“San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was the victim of an attempted robbery and shooting this afternoon,” an official team statement read. “He sustained a bullet wound to his chest and is in serious but stable condition. We ask that you please respect his privacy at this time. Our thoughts and prayers are with Ricky and the entire Pearsall family.”
Bill Scott, the chief of police in San Francisco, said during a public news conference, “This kind of violence is simply unacceptable in our city, and we will do everything in our power to work with District Attorney Brooke Jenkins to ensure that justice is served in this matter.”