Police Sergeant Who Aided NFL Star Ricky Pearsall Post-Shooting Speaks Out

On Saturday afternoon, 23-year-old rookie Ricky Pearsall of the San Francisco 49ers was shot in the chest while walking alone in central San Francisco.

Shortly after the incident, a video shared by a KTVU reporter showed Pearsall making his way to an ambulance, visibly covering his chest wound.

Ricky Pearsall is now recovering from his injuries at home and has been placed on the non-football injury list.

Sergeant Joelle Harrell, who was on duty in San Francisco's Union Square when the shooting occurred on Saturday at approximately 3:37 p.m., shared with "Good Morning America" that she worked hard to keep the football player calm after he was shot in the chest.

“I said, ‘I want you to listen to me. I know you don’t know me, but please trust me. God is with us. It’s not your time,’” Harrell recalled telling Pearsall at the time of the incident.

"When I heard the [gunshots], it was so loud," she said. "I told dispatch those were gunshots."

The NFL player was signing autographs and carrying shopping bags when the suspect followed him.

The San Francisco Police Department stated on social media that a man “attempted to rob” Pearsall, resulting in a “physical altercation” between them. Both individuals were found at the scene with injuries and were subsequently transported to a nearby hospital for “further medical evaluation.”

"I used my right hand, because this is my strong hand, to seal the wound," Sergeant Joelle Harrell told "GMA."

“He [asked], ‘Am I going to die?’ And I told him, ‘Remember, you’re going to be okay. You’re strong, right?’ ” she recalled. “[Because] I had told him out there, ‘Be strong like you are on the field.’ ”

Police chief Bill Scott addressed the public in a press conference, explaining, “A struggle between Mr. Pearsall and the suspect ensued and gunfire from the suspect’s gun struck both Mr. Pearsall and the suspect."

"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 ensure that justice is served in this matter," Scott said, per Us Weekly.

Police told the morning show that the alleged suspect, a 17-year-old, “confronted” Pearsall with a gun. They suspect the NFL rookie was targeted because he was “wearing a luxury watch.”

The sports star had been caught on video signing autographs, and cops revealed he was heading downtown “while carrying shopping bags” just before the incident.

Following the incident, his mother, Erin Pearsall, posted on Facebook that Pearsall was shot through the chest, but thankfully, the bullet did not hit any vital organs.

"He was shot in the best and it exited out his back," she said. "Thanks be to GOD it missed his vital organs. He is in good spirits right now. Life is so precious, my friends. Please love each other. My son was spared today by the grace of GOD."

The 49ers picked Pearsall with the 31st overall draft pick. “San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was the victim of an attempted robbery and shooting this afternoon,” the 49ers said in a statement following the shooting. “He sustained a bullet wound to his chest and is in serious but stable condition.”

“We ask that you please respect his privacy at this time. Our thoughts and prayers are with Ricky and the entire Pearsall family," the NFL team added.

Ricky Pearsall, who played at Arizona State and Florida during his college career, racked up 965 receiving yards and six total touchdowns in his final season with the Gators. He was selected by the San Francisco 49ers in the first round earlier this year.

The 49ers are set to start their season on Monday, September 9, at Levi's Stadium with a matchup against the New York Jets.