Shannon Ritch (58-90, 4NC), a longtime MMA veteran who competed for the likes of PRIDE and WEC, is currently under investigation in Arizona after a parking lot altercation turned deadly.
Ritch, 53, was interviewed and released without charge after shooting a man who reportedly attacked him with a knife during an argument over a parking spot at the Twin Peaks bar in Phoenix, AZ on Saturday, June 15, 2024.
Per an initial report by FOX 10 Phoenix, quoting investigators, Ritch made “a self-defense claim consistent with witnesses and surveillance video.” According to that claim, noted in a police statement provided to MMA Fighting, 32-year-old Alejandro Samplina “got into a dispute with the victim/suspect Shannon Ritch over a parking issue. During the argument, Samplina produced a knife and chased Ritch around his vehicle. Ritch was able to retrieve his handgun from the open door of his vehicle. Samplina proceeded to walk towards Ritch with the knife in a threatening manner, in response Ritch fired one round, striking Samplina.”
Per police, “charges will be submitted to Maricopa County Attorney’s office for review.” While Arizona does not technically have a “stand your ground” law, self defense law in the state does not require individuals under threat to retreat, and citizens are allowed to defend themselves in threatening situations.
In a career that wrapped up in 2021, Shannon Ritch, a.k.a. “The Cannon,” faced the likes of Dan Severn, Brian Ebersole, Sakuraba, Evan Tanner, Diego Sanchez, and Dennis Hallman, among others.
