In a tragic turn of events, MMA veteran Shannon Ritch found himself in a life-threatening situation in Phoenix, Arizona this past weekend. The 53-year-old, with a storied career of 152 professional fights, was allegedly chased by a 32-year-old man, Alejandro Samplina, who was wielding a knife.
According to the police report, the altercation occurred in a parking lot at around 9:20 PM local time on June 15, 2024. Ritch claimed the incident was sparked by a parking dispute, with Samplina reportedly pursuing him around his car in a threatening manner.
“Ritch was able to retrieve his handgun from the open door of his vehicle,” said Phoenix Police Sgt. Mayra Reeson as per dailymail. “Samplina proceeded to walk towards Ritch with the knife in a threatening manner. In response, Ritch fired one round, striking Samplina.”
The authorities stated that Ritch’s actions were justified, as the investigation and witness accounts, as well as surveillance video, corroborated his claim of self-defense. Ritch was released from the scene, and the case will now be submitted to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office for further review.
This incident comes just a few months after Ritch’s most recent professional bout, a 31-second leg lock submission loss to Glenn Sparv in January 2020. The veteran fighter, known as “The Cannon,” was also scheduled to participate in a boxing match in Doha, Qatar on June 8, 2024, as part of the Rumble of Titans event. However, due to the controversy surrounding the event, Ritch’s participation was ultimately canceled.
