Ricky Pearsall wants to practice forgiveness, even in one of the most extreme situations.
The 49ers rookie wide receiver spoke to reporters in the locker room on Monday after the team's 2024 NFL season came to an end with a Week 18 loss to the Arizona Cardinals and was asked if he expects to ever come face-to-face with the suspect who shot him in the chest in an armed robbery attempt on Aug. 31 in San Francisco.
Pearsall said he is unclear about what his exact involvement in the case will be moving forward, but is open to one day speaking to the 17-year-old suspect charged with attempted murder, who he hopes to one day impact positively.
Ricky Pearsall goes in-depth about being shot, and would like to forgive and talk to the kid who shot him during an attempted robbery.
— KNBR (@KNBR) January 6, 2025
"I don't how how he grew up so, I can't judge him as a man just based off one action that he made. As violent as a crime as it was, god forbid… pic.twitter.com/1ycoUYha88
"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. "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. 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, I think that would be really big. I'd be definitely open to doing that."
The suspect appeared at a hearing on Sept. 4 at San Francisco's Juvenile Justice Center, where he, through his defense attorney, expressed remorse for the incident.
"He's very sorry, genuinely, that this did happen, as is his family," Deputy Public Defender Bob Dunlap said. "And I can say that on their behalf as well as my own behalf, that our thoughts go out to the Pearsall family and Mr. Pearsall himself." (h/t CBS News)
San Francisco 49ers
Pearsall spent less than 24 hours at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center where he had his gunshot wound treated after the incident before he was discharged and began his road to recovery.
The rookie wide receiver was placed on the non-football injury list before the start of the season, missing the 49ers' first six games before he was activated for the Week 7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
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In 11 games (four starts), Pearsall recorded 31 receptions for 400 yards and three touchdowns.
