When can 49er Ricky Pearsall return to field? Surgeon gives his opinion

Stanford trauma surgeon David Spain said that Pearsall's injury, and recovery, all depend on the trajectory of the bullet.

SAN FRANCISCO - Video taken on the streets of San Francisco this weekend shows a wounded 49er Ricky Pearsall shellshocked after he was shot in the chest in the middle of Union Square.

The video, taken by passerby Diana Luna, shows the 23-year-old gingerly walking bare chested into an ambulance on Saturday afternoon, holding his shirt over his right pec to stop the bleeding.

A 17-year-old from Tracy was arrested following the shooting; police said the motive was an attempted armed robbery at Geary and Grant streets in Union Square, adding that the suspect did not know that he was firing his gun at a football player.

The District Attorney said a charging decision will be made Tuesday or Wednesday.

Pearsall was signing autographs at an event at the Cow Palace earlier in the afternoon and had headed to Union Square afterward.

Some may wonder how Pearsall could survive, let alone play football, after suffering a chest wound.

Stanford trauma surgeon David Spain said that Pearsall's injury, and recovery, all depend on the trajectory of the bullet.

"Obviously, in the chest there are a lot of important structures, heart, lungs, major vessels, so it all depends on the path of travel of the bullet once it enters the chest," Spain said.

He also addressed Pearsall's state of mind and physical prowess.

"These are high-end professional athletes that are really motivated to return to the field," Spain said on Sunday. "And so, they always want to get back out there and play."

If the bullet had entered the chest and injured his lung, that would have been much worse, Spain said.

But the fact that Pearsall was released from the hospital on Sunday and was seen walking is a good sign, Spain said.

"So, I think if he’s released this quickly maybe he has some broken ribs, and then it’s really a question of pain control and returning to normal activities," Spain said. "I wouldn’t be surprised to see, given the situation, someone back on the field in a couple of weeks."

Pearsall was drafted in the first round in April by the 49ers with the 31st pick, but has suffered other injuries since joining the team.

He missed time during training camp because of hamstring and shoulder issues before returning to practice this past week.

Pearsall began his college career at Arizona State and transferred to Florida for his final two seasons.

He had 65 catches for 965 yards and four touchdowns last season for the Gators and finished his college career with 159 catches for 2,420 yards and 14 touchdowns.

The Niners had hoped Pearsall could contribute as a rookie as a backup to starters Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, who just signed a 4-year, $120-million deal with the 49ers with $76 million in guarantees.

KTVU's Amanda Quintna and Lisa Fernandez contributed to this report.