Another high-profile crime rocked the San Francisco Bay over the holiday weekend, thrusting public safety issues back into the spotlight ahead of November’s mayoral election.
Ricky Pearsall, a 23-year-old wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers, was shot during an attempted robbery at around 3:30 p.m. Saturday in Union Square.
According to police, Pearsall was targeted over a Rolex watch he was wearing, and not because he is a football player. Pearsall fought against his attacker and sustained a bullet wound to the chest.
Pearsall was taken to the hospital in "serious but stable condition.” Fortunately, the bullet hit no major organs and he was released from the hospital the following day.
The suspect has been identified as a 17-year-old resident of Tracy. His name has not been made public because he is a minor. He was apprehended near the scene and is expected to be charged in juvenile court Wednesday.
In a statement, Mayor London Breed called the incident “terrible and rare.” She thanked San Francisco police officers, who responded quickly. You can read more about their actions here.
Former mayor Mark Farell, who is challenging Breed in the November election, wasted no time linking Pearsall’s shooting to current leadership.
“Our city has suffered from a tragic series of gun shootings: a Galileo high student shot while Breed partied in Chicago, a young girl in Crocker-Amazon with life-threatening wounds, and now 49ers first round draft pick Ricky Pearsall struck with gunfire during an attempted robbery in Union Square,” Farell wrote on X. “Enough is enough. If we want public safety in San Francisco, then we need change in City Hall.”
Breed’s administration says crime is down in the city. In the first quarter of 2024, property crime fell 32%. Violent crime dropped by 14% and gun violence decreased 38% compared to the same time last year, according city data city.
But public safety issues have been weighing on the city for a long time, and they’re still the top concern for about one-third of voters, notes ABC7 News’ Phil Matier.
Read more about how the recent shooting could impact the mayor’s race here.