San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan on Thursday recounted the moment he learned that Ricky Pearsall had been shot, adding that it's nothing short of miraculous that the rookie receiver survived and is recovering well.
Shanahan said it was an emotional hour on Saturday, starting with the moment when he found out Pearsall had been shot and assuming the worst.
Then, about 60 minutes later, Shanahan was able to reach Pearsall on FaceTime.
"He’s saying stuff at first that doesn’t matter, like, ‘I still think I can play versus the Jets.' Those are the things he’s talking about," Shanahan said. "It’s just like, ‘Dude, what are you talking about? There’s other things.'"
Shanahan said the team immediately went into action, trying to find updates on Pearsall’s condition after he was shot during what police say was an attempted robbery in San Francisco's Union Square.
"Talking to people at the ER who were saying out of 100 people, two people survive that, and to be able to see him the next day and he’s able to walk, he’s coming to meetings, he’s doing all that," Shanahan said.
Pearsall was shot just hours before the annual 49ers team party at Shanahan’s house.
When Shanahan finally reached Pearsall, Shanahan said the rookie urged everyone to go on and have a good time.
Shanahan said the gathering also allowed him to update the entire team on Pearsall's condition at the same time.
"I was able to reassure everybody as soon as they got there that he was totally fine," Shanahan said. "It’s a miracle. Where he got shot is two inches below his tattoo with praying hands. The whole story is kind of amazing."
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As the rest of the team prepares for the New York Jets on Monday night, they’re happy to see Pearsall doing so well.
"Just to see with the situation that happened, him dealing with it at the time and then [seeing him] the following day, the man’s just a soldier," receiver Deebo Samuel said.
"Thank God that he’s even alive with us today," linebacker Fred Warner added. "That was an insane situation. So happy that he’s back here around the building with us."
Meanwhile, the suspect in the shooting, a 17-year-old from Tracy, is being held in San Francisco. The district attorney is still deciding if she’ll petition to get him tried as an adult. The next court hearing is set for Tuesday.
