The mother of 49ers rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall posted an encouraging update on her son.
“First and (foremost), I want to thank GOD for protecting my baby boy,” Erin Pearsall wrote on Facebook. “He was extremely lucky. God shielded him.”
Pearsall, 23, was shot during an apparent armed robbery attempt Saturday afternoon near Union Square in San Francisco. A struggle ensued after the suspect approached Pearsall. A gun in the possession of the suspect fired multiple shots. Both Pearsall and the suspect were wounded and taken to San Francisco General Hospital.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
The suspect was identified as a 17-year-old male who resides in Tracy, CA, a San Joaquin County city located more than 60 miles from San Francisco. San Francisco Police apprehended the suspect shortly after the incident as he tried to flee on foot.
Video taken at the scene shows Pearsall walking to an ambulance as he received treatment from first responders.
As of Sunday morning, Pearsall was upgraded to "fair condition" at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, where he spent the night.
Erin Pearsall described her son’s condition in more detail.
San Francisco 49ers
Find the latest San Francisco 49ers news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Bay Area and California.
“He was shot in the chest and it exited out his back,” she wrote. “Thanks be to GOD it missed his vital organs. He is in good spirits right now. Life is so precious, my friends. Please love each other. My son was spared today by the grace of God. Please pray for my baby.”
The encouraging update was consistent with how San Francisco Mayor London Breed updated Pearsall’s condition on Saturday night.
“We’re glad that the victim will be OK,” she said.
Pearsall was the 49ers’ first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He spent his first three college seasons at Arizona State before transferring to Florida, where he played his final two seasons. Last season, he caught 65 passes for 965 yards and four touchdowns.
Pearsall reported to training camp with a hamstring injury and missed the first four practices of the summer. In his seventh practice after returning, he sustained a left shoulder subluxation. Pearsall returned to practice 19 days later and appeared to be on pace to suit up for the regular-season opener on Monday, Sept. 9, against the New York Jets.
“Our thoughts are with Ricky Pearsall and his family,” Breed said. “He has a bright future and I look forward to seeing him recover and get back on the field.”