Wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, the 49ers’ first-round draft pick this past spring, was shot in a robbery attempt Saturday afternoon near San Francisco’s Union Square.
Pearsall is in stable condition, NBC Bay Area reported. A bullet passed through one of his arms, and the suspect appeared shot through his chest, according to Fox40’s Kirsten Moran-Keller.
“He’s good. Thank god!!!!” 49ers teammate Deebo Samuel posted on X/Twitter about Pearsall, adding emojis reflecting a prayer and crossed fingers.
“During the attempted robbery, a physical altercation ensued, and both the subject and the victim were injured,” according to a statement from the San Francisco Police Department, which noted the suspect is in custody and charges are pending.
Captain Justin Schorr, spokesperson for the San Francisco Fire Department, confirmed that his department transported two patients to the hospital Saturday afternoon for suspected gunshot wounds, but could not speak to the identities or any other information about the patients. Schorr said the first 911 call reporting shots fired at Geary and Grants streets was at 3:38 pm, a block away from Union Square.
“Two people were hurt, we took good care of them, and they’re at the hospital,” said Schorr, noting that one victim is in critical condition and one in stable condition at San Francisco General.
Pearsall’s Rolex watch was targeted in the attempted robbery, KTVU’s Sal Castaneda reported, citing multiple sources.
“I am extremely shocked and saddened about the shooting of 49ers player Ricky Pearsall today in Union Square,” San Francisco Police Chief William Scott said in a statement. “This kind of violence has no place in our city and will never be tolerated. My heart goes out to Mr. Pearsall and his family and I wish him a speedy recovery.”
Earlier Saturday, Pearsall signed autographs at a card show at San Francisco’s Cow Palace.
Neither the San Francisco Police Department nor the 49ers immediately returned messages left by this news organization.
Pearsall, 23, is a Phoenix, Ariz., native who is entering his first NFL season after playing collegiately at Florida the past two seasons and Arizona State the prior three years.
A shoulder injury has kept Pearsall from practicing the past 3 1/2 weeks, after an offseason hamstring injury delayed his entry into training camp by a week. His left shoulder has a history of partial dislocations dating back to his junior year in college, and he aggravated it in spring practices as well as on Aug. 6.
He’s done conditioning drills on the side as the 49ers prepare for their regular-season opener Sept. 9 against the New York Jets at Levi’s Stadium. Pearsall’s status is yet to be determined.
