The 17-year-old high school senior’s lawyer, who is accused of trying to kill 49ers rookie receiver Ricky Pearsall throughout the day, stated on Tuesday that he believes the youngster shouldn’t be charged with attempted murder in light of new video evidence.

After the adolescent forfeited his right to a speedy trial during a pretrial hearing, San Francisco Deputy Public Defender Bob Dunlap stated that the evidence he had found indicated what had occurred on August 31 at Union Square that afternoon was an attempted robbery rather than an attempted murder.

According to him, the video he gave the authorities depicted “a rather extended struggle” in which Pearsall prevailed over the teenager.

It validates my theory and belief that this is an attempted robbery rather than a murder attempt in this case, Dunlap stated.

On August 31, after shopping at upscale Union Square boutiques, Pearsall, 23, was reportedly approached by a suspect who tried to rob him at gunpoint after noticing that the NFL star was wearing a Rolex watch and other pricey jewellery. Pearsall was alone when the suspect spotted this, according to San Francisco police.

Following a fight, Pearsall and the adolescent, who was shot in the arm, were both hit by gunfire from the suspect’s weapon, they claimed.

The teenager was taken into custody about a block from the location of his alleged confrontation with Pearsall. Tracy is a city located around 60 miles (100 km) east of San Francisco.

The teenager was charged last week by San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins with attempted second-degree robbery, assault with a semiautomatic firearm, and attempted murder. Later on, her office filed further gun-related accusations.

Jenkins stated that her office needs more time to look into the matter further and, if necessary, ask the court to move the case to adult court. She has not determined whether to trial the juvenile as an adult. Prosecutors cannot charge a kid as an adult in California without a judge’s approval.

According to officials, the 49ers rookie was shot close to the chest. Erin Pearsall, his mother, wrote on social media that her son’s bullet passed through his chest on the right side and out of his back, missing no important organs.

A day later, Pearsall was discharged from the hospital. He returned to the team’s location two days following the attempted heist.

He was present at the team’s season opener at Levi’s Stadium on Monday night when he gave signed jerseys and expressed gratitude to the first responders who assisted him following the shooting.

Before voters chose a new mayor, Pearsall’s shooting in a posh downtown shopping area brought the city’s struggles with blatant thievery, abandoned shopfronts, and attacks on Asian-American seniors back into the national spotlight. Democrat London Breed is running a close race for reelection in November.