NEWS, BAY AREA. >>> GOOD EVENING, I'M JULIETTE GOODRICH IN FOR SARA TONIGHT. THE SHOOTING OF A NINER'S PLAYER IN THE MIDDLE OF SAN FRANCISCO'S UNION SQUARE IS SPARKING UP A UNION DEBATE ON WHEN TO PUT MINORS ON TRIAL AS ADULTS. PEARSALL WAS SHOT IN THE CHEST, AND THE DA IS ANNOUNCING THE 17-YEAR-OLD SUSPECT IS FACING ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGES. HOLDING BACK ON ESCALATING THE CASE TO ADULT COURT, FOR NOW. TONIGHT WE SPOKE TO AN ATTORNEY FOR HIS TAKE ON THE DECISION. >>> A TEMPTED MURDER, ASSAULT, ROBBERY. >> Reporter: SAN FRANCISCO DISTRICT ATTORNEY ANNOUNCING THESE CHARGES ON TUESDAY AGAINST AN UNNAMED 17-YEAR-OLD FROM TRACY IN THE WEEKEND SHOOTING OF RICKY PEARSALL. THE WIDE RECEIVER SHOT IN THE CHEST DURING AN ATTEMPTED ROBBERY. IVAN GOLD SAYS THESE CHARGES MEAN SEVERE PENALTIES EVEN FOR A MINOR >> THESE CHARGES CAN CARRY ABOVE 10 YEARS. THERE WAS A GUN INVOLVED, THIS MINOR COULD BE CHARGED AS AN ADULT. >> LITTLE INFORMATION IS KNOWN ABOUT THE TEEN, LARGELY DUE TO LEGAL PROTECTIONS FOR MINORS, GOLD SAYS A HIGH PROFILE CASE PAIRED WITH NATIONAL PRESSURE TO COMBAT CRIME IN THE CITY MAY HAVE LED TO A MORE SEVERE CHARGE. >> THE HIGH PROFILE CASE. THIS CASE WILL BE WATCHED THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. THEY DO NOT WANT TO APPEAR SOFT ON CRIME, THE SAN FRANCISCO DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. THIS CASE WILL BE AN EXAMPLE. ORDINARILY, A ROBBERY, ASSAULT T IS ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON NOT AN ATTEMPTED MURDER CHARGE. >> Reporter: FOR NOW, THE CASE WILL PLAY OUT IN THE JUVENILE COURT SYSTEM AND JENKINS SAYS HER OFFICE DOES NOT HAVE THE POWER TO CHARGE THE SUSPECT AS AN ADULT WITHOUT FILING A MOTION AND RECEIVING APPROVAL FROM A JUDGE. WHICH COULD STILL HAPPEN. >> ATTEMPTED MURDER IS ONE OF THOSE CHARGES. SO, AGAIN, IT WAS FOR CONSIDERATION. WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE FACTS, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE MINOR'S HISTORY AND A NUMBER OF THINGS TO MAKE A DETERMINATION OF IF WE THINK IT IS APPROPRIATE, I DON'T HAVE ALL OF THE INFORMATION YET TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THAT DETERMINATION. >> AS SERIOUS AS THE CHARGES ARE, SAN FRANCISCO RESIDENT GREG OWENS SAYS SUCH A YOUNG PERSON SHOULD NOT BE TRIED AS AN ADULT. >> TO CONDEMN HIM FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE. IT IS T IS DETRIMENTAL. HE CAN USE WHAT HE HAS BEEN THROUGH TO HELP OTHERS NOT GO THROUGH IT. >> Reporter: AT THE END OF THE DAY IT IS A LOSE/LOSE SITUATION, HE IS KEEPING PEARSALL AND THE TEEN IN HIS THOUGHTS >> I FEEL SORRY FOR THE PLAYER. DEFINITELY PRAYERS FOR HIS FAMILY. AND ALSO FOR THE KID AS