The 17-year-old suspect in the shooting of San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall made his first court appearance on Wednesday afternoon, expressing remorse through his defense attorney, CBS News reports.
The unidentified suspect, a high school senior with no prior criminal record, appeared at a hearing at the city’s Juvenile Justice Center. The judge will determine whether he will be charged as an adult.
During the arraignment, the teenager maintained a stoic demeanor, staring straight ahead and avoiding eye contact with his parents, who sat behind him. His mother requested a Spanish interpreter to follow the proceedings.
Following the hearing, Deputy Public Defender Bob Dunlap told reporters that his client was genuinely remorseful for the incident.
“He’s very sorry, genuinely, that this did happen, as is his family,” Dunlap said. “And I can say that on their behalf as well as my own behalf, that our thoughts go out to the Pearsall family and Mr. Pearsall himself.”
The suspect, a resident of Tracy, California, faces numerous charges, including attempted murder with an enhanced allegation of discharging a firearm, assault with a semiautomatic firearm, attempted second-degree robbery, carrying a loaded firearm, having a concealed firearm, being a minor with a handgun, and damage to personal property.
The incident occurred on Saturday in San Francisco’s Union Square. According to police, Pearsall was shot in the chest while struggling with the suspect during an attempted robbery. Cellphone footage captured the scene, showing first responders carefully escorting Pearsall to an ambulance. Pearsall’s mother revealed on social media that a single bullet entered his chest and exited his back, missing vital organs.
The suspect was also shot during the struggle, with the bullet passing through his left arm but causing no major injury, according to Dunlap.
Pearsall, the 49ers’ top draft pick in 2024, returned to the team’s facilities in Santa Clara on Tuesday, less than 72 hours after the shooting.
