Judge rules teen who shot San Francisco 49ers Ricky Pearsall won’t be tried as adult: ‘Opportunity of redemption’

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — The teen accused of shooting San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall will be tried as a juvenile, a judge ruled Friday morning.

At the time of the shooting, the juvenile was 17 years old. He is now 18.

Pearsall’s mom got emotional speaking about the day she almost lost her son and the nightmares after that.

The teen shot Pearsall last August in an attempted robbery in Union Square.

EXCLUSIVE: Video shows moment Ricky Pearsall shooting suspect flees Union Square crime scene

“Enormous relief and joy. He was looking at life in prison as an adult. This was a radical different outcome,” said Bob Dunlap, SF public defender representing the teen.

The five-day hearing included multiple witnesses including the SFPD officer who ran towards the sound of gunshots and found Pearsall covered in blood.

The public defender asked the judge to consider the teens’ childhood filled with trauma, abuse and neglect. Also pointing out that while in custody for the last 13 months, the teen graduated high school and is starting community college online.

“This wasn’t guilt or innocence, this was – is the boy amenable to juvenile services such that we can rehabilitate in the time remaining which is until he turns 25, or conversely is he so far gone. Is he so irredeemable that state prison is the only response,” said Dunlap.

Assistant DA David Mitchell argued the teen had a “loaded gun” during the attempted robbery and “pulled the trigger” actions that could have killed Pearsall.

The teens attorney read a letter he wrote to Pearsall where he apologized, said he was praying for him and hoped to go to one of his games. In the past, Pearsall has expressed interest in meeting the teen who shot him.

RELATED: 49ers’ Ricky Pearsall says he’s willing to meet suspect who shot him during attempted robbery in SF

“I want to see if he is first open to it, that is important to me too,” said Pearsall during a press conference after the shooting.

In her closing statements, the judge looked at the teen and said he was “lucky” that the crime took place when he was still 17 years old and firmly told him she was giving him an “opportunity of redemption.”

The teenager’s mom broke down after hearing her son was so close to being tried as an adult.

Luz Pena: “There are still three charges pending, so what is next?”
Bob Dunlap: “Next is an attempt by the parties to resolve the charges by agreement if we can and if we can’t then we go to a trial, and a judge decides.”

On Sept. 24, there will be a status hearing to set the next hearing date on the pending charges including attempted murder.

The DA’s full statement below:
Today the court denied our motion to transfer this case to adult court. Proceedings will remain within the Juvenile Court jurisdiction. The youth’s next court date is September 24, 2025, in Department 3 for pre-trial conference.

I firmly believe that in most cases, Juvenile Court is appropriate for minors. Nevertheless, when I have concerns that the Juvenile Justice system is not suitable to rehabilitate the minor before juvenile jurisdiction terminates, it is my duty to seek a transfer hearing so that a judicial officer can review all the evidence and decide if a minor is suitable for juvenile treatment. This process is what the legislature has designed to ensure that public safety is considered and protected. Part of my evaluation of this case involved taking a hard look at the Juvenile Probation Department’s history with rehabilitating minors, especially those charged with the most serious crimes, in the past. To date, as Juvenile Probation testified to during this proceeding, all the youths that have “satisfactorily completed SF Secure track programing” have reoffended and are either pending felony charges in criminal court or been convicted of at least one felony in adult criminal court before the age of 25. I respect the court’s decision and hope that rehabilitation is successful and public safety is preserved in this case.