(SAN FRANCISCO) — San Francisco 49ers rookie Ricky Pearsall, who was shot Saturday in a brazen broad daylight attempted robbery in San Francisco’s Union Square, was released from the hospital on Sunday and “extremely lucky” to be alive, his mother and the 49ers said on social media.
Pearsall, 23, “sustained a bullet wound to his chest,” the San Francisco 49ers said in a statement.
The NFL team said Pearsall was released from Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital Sunday afternoon as he “continues to recover” from the shooting.
“He and his family, along with the entire San Francisco 49ers organization, would like to thank the San Francisco Police Department, emergency medical services, doctors and staff at San Francisco General Hospital,” the team said in a statement posted on X.
Pearsall’s mother, Erin Pearsall, posted a statement on Facebook Sunday, saying, “I want to thank GOD for protecting my baby boy.”
“He is extremely lucky, GOD shielded him,” she wrote in the post that was shared on social media by her son’s 49er teammates, including quarterback Brock Purdy. “He was shot in the chest and it exited out his back. Thanks be to GOD it missed his vital organs.”
Shortly before 4 p.m. local time Saturday, police responded to a report of a shooting and found two men “suffering from injuries,” San Francisco Police Department said in a statement.
“During the attempted robbery, a physical altercation ensued, and both the suspect and victim were injured,” according to SFPD.
Preliminary information indicates the wide receiver was targeted for a Rolex watch he was wearing, sources confirmed to ABC News.
Pearsall was walking along a street when a 17-year-old suspect from Tracy, California, approached and tried to rob him, police said during a briefing outside of San Francisco General Hospital.
Police said Pearsall was not targeted because he is a football player, it was a random street robbery.
The suspect is in custody and charges are pending at this time, police said in a statement.
San Francisco Police Chief William Scott told a press conference that the investigation into the incident was still active.
“This kind of violence is simply unacceptable in our city, and we will do everything in our power to work with District Attorney Brooke Jenkins to assure that justice is served in this matter,” he said.
Asked whether the suspect had accomplices, Scott replied: “Right now, we believe it was one lone person. That may change as we get video evidence.”
Jenkins told the press conference that she expected to make a charging decision “by the middle of next week, either Tuesday or Wednesday.” Any charges will be filed in a juvenile court given the suspect’s age, Jenkins added.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed, meanwhile, described the incident as “terrible and rare.”
Pearsall — a first-round draft pick — had been dealing with a shoulder injury during the preseason and returned to practice last week, according to the National Football League.
“He is in good spirits right now,” Erin Pearsall said in her Facebook post. “Life is so precious my friends. Please love each other. My son was spared today by the grace of God. Please pray for my baby.”
ABC News’ Erica Morris and Bill Hutchinson contributed to this report.
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