The teen who shot 49ers receiver Ricky Pearsall was arraigned in juvenile court Wednesday, Olga Rodriguez of the Associated Press reports.
The 17-year-old high school senior is charged with attempted murder, assault with a semiautomatic weapon and attempted second-degree robbery. San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins’ office added several gun-related charges Wednesday.
They have not decided whether to charge the juvenile as an adult. California law prevents prosecutors from charging a minor as an adult without judicial approval.
The teenager, who wore a green sweatshirt and green pants, looked straight ahead at the judge and did not acknowledge his parents, who were in the room, according to Rodriguez. The juvenile said through his attorney that he was sorry for the shooting.
“He’s genuinely very sorry that this did happen, as is his family, and I can say on their behalf, as well as on my own behalf, our thoughts go out to the Pearsall family and Mr. Pearsall himself. So there is genuine, genuine remorse in that regard,” the teen’s public defender, Bob Dunlap, told reporters after the hearing. “He is a young boy.”
Family members of Pearsall attended the hearing.
Pearsall, 23, was walking to his car after shopping for luggage at Union Square when the suspect tried to steal Pearsall’s Rolex watch. The two struggled over the gun, and both were shot.
The teenager was shot in the arm, according to police, and the 49ers’ first-round draft pick was shot through the chest. The bullet did not hit any organs, though, and Pearsall was released from San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center on Sunday.
He made an appearance at the team facility Monday, and General Manager John Lynch said he expects Pearsall to play this season.
Pearsall will have to miss at least four games on the non-football injury list.
