SANTA CLARA, Calif. – San Francisco 49ers rookie receiver Ricky Pearsall was at practice as a spectator five days after being shot in the chest during an attempted robbery.
Pearsall was hit in the chest and hospitalized overnight after the shooting in central San Francisco on Saturday. He was released from the hospital Sunday and was already back at the team facility Monday.
He spent the early part of practice open to reporters walking around the field holding a football.
“It’s kind of been amazing, just watching him,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “For him to be able to walk around and stuff with that happening, talking to people at the ER, them saying out of like 100 people, two people survive that. To be able to see him the next day and just that he is able to walk, he’s coming to meetings, he’s doing all that.”
The Niners placed Pearsall on the non-football injury list, which will sideline him for at least four weeks, giving him time to recover physically and emotionally from the shooting.
Shanahan said Pearsall plans to take a week or so before starting his rehab process to get back on the field.
Pearsall was walking alone carrying shopping bags to his car shortly after 3:30 p.m. Saturday when a juvenile suspect attempted to rob him with a gun in the Union Square area, officials said. The 17-year-old was arraigned in juvenile court on attempted murder charges Wednesday
Officers in the area responded immediately and provided emergency medical aid and arrested the suspect. Pearsall was shown on video from a witness with a large chest wound as he was helped into an ambulance.
Pearsall was fortunate that the bullet went through his body without damaging any organs or nerves.
“Where he got shot is like two inches below his tattoo with praying hands,” Shanahan said. “The whole story is kind of amazing.”
Shanahan said the early moments after the shooting were scary when he didn’t know the extent of Pearsall’s injuries but was quickly reassured that Pearsall was OK.
Pearsall then FaceTimed his coach and later did the same to his teammates who were gathered for a team party at Shanahan’s house on Saturday night.
“Thank God he’s even alive with us today,” All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner said. “It was an insane situation, and I’m so happy he’s back here around the building with us.”
Pearsall was drafted in the first round in April by the 49ers with the 31st overall pick but has been slowed by injuries since joining the team.
He missed time during training camp because of hamstring and shoulder issues before returning to practice last week with a noncontact blue jersey while his shoulder heals.
Pearsall began his college career at Arizona State and transferred to Florida for his final two seasons. He had 65 catches for 965 yards and four touchdowns last season for the Gators and finished his college career with 159 catches for 2,420 yards and 14 TDs.
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