Rookie wide receiver, set out to shine like a rare San Francisco sun, just did not know what an unfortunate tragedy awaited him. San Francisco 49ers‘ Ricky Pearsall was left seriously injured on the afternoon of August 30 as an armed robber pulled the trigger. While an official update from his team confirmed the 23-year-old was in “serious but stable condition”, Mama Pearsall has released another update with some vital information.

As per an X user, Erin confirmed on Facebook, “Update on my baby boy… He was s— in the chest and it exited out back. Thanks be to GOD, it missed his vital organs. He’s in good spirits now.” At the time of the incident—around 3:37 pm at the Geary Street and Grant Avenue area—a 17-year-old male attempted to steal Pearsall’s Rolex watch when he was on his way to a signing event.

As per reports, a physical altercation ensued between the two, with multiple shots being fired, injuring both men. Both men were taken to the hospital after police arrived at the scene. The perpetrator, a resident of Tracy, California, was caught as he tried to escape. As of now, the unidentified individual is in custody. According to San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, he will be charged in juvenile court.

SF Police Chief William Scott confirmed that the gun was recovered. He also confirmed that, as per preliminary investigations, the accused was working alone and did not target the former Arizona State player due to his profession.

Soon after the incident, videos surfaced showing a shirtless Pearsall walking toward an ambulance while clutching his chest. The young player tried to keep his composure, but the weight of it all? Heavy. His recovery will take time, no doubt. However, there’s no immediate confirmation of his return. The incident comes just six months after SF Mayor London Breed released numbers showing a 20% reduction in robberies and a 14% reduction in burglaries.

Then in April, the Standard of San Francisco Police Department also informed robbery reports were at a six-year low, from 856 in the first 100 days of 2020 to  627 in the same period in 2024.

On a separate note, the 49ers team, shaken and stirred, have rallied around him, with teammates speaking up about his condition. Even Lebron James felt the impact sending chills down his spine.

Ricky Pearsall’s incident has rocked the nation

When James heard about what happened to Ricky Pearsall, he wasn’t holding back. “Facts bro!! Home, work, and back home! Prayers to Ricky Pearsall!” he posted, responding to a netizen’s post on X that echoed a shared fear: “I really just wanna stay at home.”

But it wasn’t just LeBron voicing his concern. Mayor Breed also stepped in, personally visiting the hospital to check on the rookie’s condition. “My thoughts are with Ricky and his family at this time,” she said, reflecting the collective shock that rippled through the football world and beyond.

Notably, this is the second shooting incident of the year involving an NFL player. Earlier in April, Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell was a victim of a mass shooting incident in Sanford, Florida shortly after midnight. The 24-year-old, among 10 injured, suffered a flesh wound as a bullet pierced the back of the leg and went through the front.

Recently in a podcast appearance, the player talked about the incident saying, “Went out that night, and that happened. After that, I’m like, bro, I just felt like stuff kept happening back to back to back. I’m like, I couldn’t shake it. So, mentally, I was kind of messed up. But then I just felt like I was the only person that was going to pull myself out of it.” Dell had suffered a broken leg in December 2023 during a match against the Denver Broncos.

As for Ricky’s teammates, they’re rallying behind him. Deebo Samuel took to X with a hopeful update, “He’s good🤞🏾🙏🏾. Thank god!!!!” The 49ers also shared their sympathies on Instagram and emphasized the importance of respecting the Pearsall family’s privacy during this difficult time. Understandably, so.

Let’s do what’s in our hands and that’s just prayers. Re-iterating what Erin asked us to do, “pray for my baby boy.” We are all behind you, Ricky.