High school senior, 17, charged with shooting San Francisco 49ers rookie Ricky Pearsall says he is ‘very sorry’ in first court appearance
The high school senior charged with the attempted murder of San Francisco 49ers player Ricky Pearsall is “very sorry” after allegedly shooting the rookie receiver, the teen’s attorney said after his arraignment in juvenile court on Wednesday.
The 17-year-old boy’s public defender, Bob Dunlap, told reporters after the hearing that his client — who is also facing assault with a semi-automatic firearm and attempted robbery — has expressed remorse over the Saturday shooting in San Francisco’s Union Square.
Pearsall, a first-round draft pick, was shot in the chest during a botched robbery, and is expected to miss the first four games of the season.
The alleged shooter is “genuinely very sorry that this did happen, as is his family,” Dunlap said after the arraignment. “And I can say on their behalf, as well as on my own behalf, our thoughts go out to the Pearsall family and Mr. Pearsall himself.”
“So there is genuine, genuine remorse in that regard,” Dunlap added. “He is a young boy.”
The 17-year-old will remain in custody in San Francisco, Superior Court Judge Roger Chan ruled, despite a recommendation from the boy’s probation officer that he be transferred to his home county of San Joaquin — where the teen has another matter pending.
Pearsall, 23, was shot when the teen allegedly tried to steal his Rolex watch at about 3:30 p.m. Saturday.
The rookie fought off the robbery, but one bullet struck him and another hit the suspect when the gun went off during the struggle.
“Ricky wasn’t having any of it,” San Francisco Supervisor Aaron Peskin said cops told him of the NFL player’s determination to fight off the robbery, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The teen was quickly arrested as he tried to flee the busy street on foot.
Officers aided Pearsall and the suspect before they were transported to a hospital for treatment, where the rookie was listed in “serious but stable condition.”
The first-round draft pick had been signing autographs earlier in the afternoon before he was shot.
Pearsall was placed on the reserve/non-football injury list Monday.
Pearsall’s mother, Erin, shared in a Facebook post that he was “shot in the chest, and it exited out his back,” missing his vital organs.
“He is extremely lucky,” she said.
He will be eligible to return for the team’s fifth game against the Cardinals on Oct. 6.
Pearsall was selected with the 49ers’ first-round pick in June’s draft — No. 31 overall — and played three years at Arizona State and two at Florida during his collegiate career.
With Post wires
