UPDATE: Brentwood Police Captain Steven Pepin has spoken with The Hollywood Reporter and confirmed that Alan Ritchson will face no criminal charges for his actions.
"After reviewing available evidence, including video footage and witness statements, authorities determined that no criminal charges will be pursued. Mr. Ritchson’s actions were found to be in self-defense," he said in a statement to the trade.
Pepin added that the Smallville star, clearly eager to move on, decided not to press charges against Ronnie Taylor.
"Although a potential reckless endangerment charge was considered, Mr. Ritchson declined to pursue charges," the Captain confirmed. "With the agreement of the District Attorney’s Office, the case is now closed, and no further action will be taken."
Yesterday, footage surfaced of Reacher star Alan Ritchson seemingly attacking a neighbour after a heated exchange about the actor riding his motorcycle down the street.
Out of context, it wasn't a good look for Ritchson, especially as the video made it seem as if he was violently attacking the much smaller man. Well, TMZ has now published the Titans alum's bodycam footage, and it might be just what he needed as police continue to investigate the incident.
In the video, we see Ronnie Taylor attempt to block Ritchson and his children from passing his house. The actor pushes him to the ground, which leads Taylor to shout profanities at him (his main argument seems to be that Ritchson was driving dangerously fast in a neighbourhood with a lot of children).
A heated argument follows, and when Ritchson revs his bike several times, Taylor loses his cool and appears to push him and his motorcycle to the ground twice. That prompts the Reacher star to, as the gossip site puts it, "[open] a can of whoopass and pounds on Ronnie, ordering him to stay down."
While a police investigation is ongoing, it seems there was fault on both sides, and it's hard to imagine this being taken too much further. Ultimately, it's not a great look for the actor and, as a Hollywood star, it probably would have been wise of him to walk away from the situation.
Of course, Ritchson likely wouldn't have released this video had he not felt it proved he wasn't in the wrong. Still, even if this case doesn't reach a criminal court, Taylor may end up seeking damages in a civil one.
Taylor has been talking to the press and, as you can see below, even shared a photo of his black eye with TMZ. Seemingly in response to that, Ritchson posted a Napoleon Bonaparte quote on Instagram, reading, "Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake."
What, if any, impact this will have on Ritchson's career is hard to say. His star has been on the rise in recent years, with Prime Video's Reacher helping to put him on the map. He's also emerged as a fan-favourite choice to play Batman, and while DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn isn't eyeing him for that role, we know they've met to discuss others.
You can check out this new footage of Ritchson and Taylor's altercation in the X posts below.