Alan Ritchson, star of the Amazon Prime series Reacher, will not face criminal charges following a violent confrontation with a neighbour in Tennessee, after police determined he acted in self-defence.
The Brentwood Police Department concluded its investigation on Tuesday, stating that video footage and witness statements showed Ritchson's actions were in self-defence. The actor also declined to pursue a potential reckless endangerment charge against the neighbour, Ronnie Taylor. With the agreement of the District Attorney's Office, the case is now closed.
The incident, which was captured on video and obtained by TMZ, appeared to show Ritchson striking Taylor multiple times while Taylor knelt on the ground. However, police bodycam footage later released revealed that Taylor had rushed into the street in front of Ritchson's motorbike, causing Ritchson to go over the handlebars. After a verbal exchange, Ritchson attempted to leave, but Taylor followed and shoved him, leading to the physical altercation.
Taylor admitted to TMZ that he instigated the physical contact, saying he pushed Ritchson twice after asking him to stop making noise on his motorbike. The original TMZ video had been edited to remove the beginning of the altercation.
Ritchson, 43, is known for playing Jack Reacher, a former US Army military police officer with extensive combat experience. The series is based on Lee Child's bestselling novels.
