Ricky Pearsall Wants To Meet With Teen Accused Of Shooting Him: ‘I Have To Be Able To Forgive Him’
Ricky Pearsall is taking the high road.
Just four months after being shot during an attempted robbery in San Francisco, the 49ers wide receiver is ready to forgive his 17-year-old assailant.
"I don’t know how he grew up, so I can’t judge him as a man just based off one action that he made," Pearsall said on Monday, via KNBR. "As violent as a crime as it was, God forbid him doing that to somebody else.
"I don’t ever want that to happen so ... just being able to forgive him at the end of the day, like, I have to be able to forgive him to have that weight off my chest."
The would-be-thief targeted Pearsall for his Rolex watch while he was walking in San Francisco's Union Square on his way to a signing event on Aug. 31, according to reports. Both Pearsall and the suspect suffered gunshot wounds during the struggle, which happened in broad daylight. Pearsall was shot in the chest and the bullet exited through his back, while the suspect was shot in the arm.
READ: Quick Acting Police Officer Came To Aid Of Ricky Pearsall And Prayed
Pearsall was taken to the hospital and released the next day. Then, amazingly, the rookie made his NFL debut just 50 days later.
Ricky Pearsall scored his first NFL touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Nov. 10, 2024.
(Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)
The teen suspect was charged with attempted murder and also faces charges of attempted second-degree robbery and assault with a semi-automatic firearm, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said in September.
Not only does Pearsall forgive his shooter, but he also wants to meet him.
"At some point, I do want to talk to the kid and make sure that, if I can, create an impact on him in any way," Pearsall said. "I think that would be really big. I’d be definitely open to doing that."