Ricky Pearsall’s mom breaks silence to offer major update on her son after 49ers rookie was shot

Ricky Pearsall’s mother has spoken out after the San Francisco 49ers rookie was shot on Saturday.

Pearsall, 23, was shot in the chest during an attempted robbery in the city’s Union Square. Authorities say he is now in critical but stable condition.

The 17-year-old suspect was arrested at the scene and is now in custody, authorities said.

The wideout’s mother, Erin, broke her silence on Sunday, less than 24 hours after the terrifying incident, to provide an update on her son’s condition.

She revealed the severity of the wide receiver’s injuries and thanked God for his safety.

“Update on my son,” Erin wrote in a Facebook post shared by David Lombardi of The Athletic.

‘First and by far the most I want to thank GOD for protecting my baby boy. He was so lucky, GOD protected him.

“He was shot in the chest and it came out through his back. Thank God it missed his vital organs. He is in a good mood now. Life is so precious, my friends.

“Love one another. My son was spared today by the grace of GOD. Please pray for my baby.”

According to police, Pearsall was caught wearing his Rolex watch after shopping at a nearby expensive department store.

Authorities said the attempted robbery failed when the 17-year-old suspect was shot from his own gun during a struggle with Pearsall, who refused to surrender.

The suspect suffered a hand or arm injury and is in stable condition at San Francisco General Hospital as he awaits charges, police said. Pearsall suffered a chest injury and is in serious but stable condition at the same facility.

Police released a statement late Saturday night describing the incident.

“On August 31, 2024, at approximately 3:37 p.m., officers with the San Francisco Police Department responded to a report of a shooting in the area of ​​Geary Street and Grant Avenue,” the statement provided to DailyMail.com read. “Upon arrival, officers located two male subjects who were injured. Officers rendered aid and medics transported both subjects to a local hospital for further medical evaluation.

‘During the preliminary investigation, officers learned that one of the suspects attempted to rob the victim, San Francisco 49ers player Ricky Pearsall. During the attempted robbery, a physical altercation ensued, resulting in injuries to both the suspect and victim. The suspect is in custody and charges are pending. All information is preliminary and more information will be released as it becomes available. Media will be at San Francisco General Hospital tonight.

“This investigation is ongoing and active. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the SFPD Tip Line at 1-415-575-4444 or text a Tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD. You can remain anonymous.”

Mayor London Breed called the shooting a “horrific and rare incident in Union Square.”

Breed called the incident a “setback” for an area where crime actually fell in 2024.

“Sometimes the data goes out the window when something like this happens,” Breed said, as quoted by the Chronicle.

San Francisco has been plagued by shootings for years, though Breed boasted in April that violent crime was down 14 percent compared to the same period in 2023. According to City Hall, gun violence was down 38 percent in the first quarter of 2024.

During the pandemic, violent crime in San Francisco has skyrocketed, with 56 and 48 murders in 2021 and 2020, respectively.

Chronicle reporters saw five shell casings at the crime scene, where Pearsall was reportedly shopping moments earlier.

A witness told the Chronicle that blood was streaming down Pearsall’s left arm.

“It was a terrifying situation,” the witness, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Chronicle.

Pearsall was actually seen walking away after the shooting on Saturday.

As seen in a video shared by KTVU’s Zak Sos on X, the injured Pearsall was carried by emergency workers to a waiting ambulance, where he was placed on a stretcher. Pearsall moved slowly during the footage, which was shot from across the street. He didn’t appear overly distressed, but he did cover his chest area.

KGO-TV’s Dion Lim reported that Pearsall signed autographs at Cow Palace before heading downtown to shop at Union Square. Lim’s sources say he was at a high-end designer store just before he was shot.

Pearsall was performing well during training camp before suffering his shoulder injury.

Starting receiver Brandon Aiyuk had to sit out until this week, but the 6-foot-1, 180-pound Pearsall impressed coaches and teammates with his craftsmanship.

“I don’t like to compliment rookies, but I like his game,” cornerback Isaac Yiadom said in early August, as quoted by the Associated Press. “I think he’s got some confidence, too. He’s got some grit in him, so he knows it. He knows he’s pretty good. I just hope he keeps working. That’s what I like about him. He just goes to work. He just keeps his mouth shut and he just goes to work.”

Coach Kyle Shannahan’s offense has a reputation for being tough on young players, especially receivers, but Pearsall seemed to understand the system.

“I think I’ve made some big strides since I’ve been here,” Pearsall said. “It was a little tough at first. Coming into an offense like this, it’s a complex thing, there’s a lot to it. Trying to learn everything in one day is impossible. So I told myself I could do that over and over and over again, how to get better and know the playbook.”