SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The teen charged with shooting San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall during an attempted robbery last year will be tried as a juvenile, a judge ruled Friday.
The suspect was a 17-year-old high school senior at the time of the August 2024 shooting. He is now 18 and would have faced much steeper penalties if found guilty of attempted murder, assault and attempted robbery in adult criminal court rather than the juvenile system, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Friday.
Pearsall was alone and walking to his car after shopping at luxury stores in the city’s Union Square when the suspect saw the NFL player was wearing a Rolex watch and other expensive jewelry and tried to rob him at gunpoint, San Francisco police said.
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A struggle ensued, and gunfire from the suspect’s firearm struck both Pearsall and the teenager, who was shot in the arm, authorirties. The teen was arrested about a block away from where he allegedly confronted Pearsall.
The district attorney’s office sought to transfer the case to adult court, noting that Pearsall could have died.
The suspect’s attorney said the teen had experienced abuse and trauma both at home and while in the foster care system.
San Francisco Deputy Public Defender Bob Dunlap said his client has been a model prisoner while in juvenile detention. He formed a book club, graduated from high school and enrolled in community college, Dunlap said.
Friday’s ruling came after a weeklong hearing to determine how the teen would be tried.