Alan Ritchson, star of the series “Reacher,” appears to have had a violent altercation with his neighbor over the weekend, although it is not entirely clear who started the fight.
The confrontation broke out on Sunday in the suburban city of Brentwood, Tennessee, and allegedly included the 43-year-old actor punching a man to the ground multiple times, according to TMZ, which posted video of the fight. The video, apparently recorded by a witness from the window of his home, also shows Ritchson attempting to pick up his motorcycle, which then turns onto the grass next to the sidewalk as his two sons, also on motorcycles, watch the confrontation. The other man, after standing up, appears to continue scolding Ritchson before the actor and his family leave.
A representative for Ritchson did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday.
According to TMZ, the man who was hit by Ritchson was his neighbor Ronnie Taylor, who accused the actor of speeding his Kawasaki motorcycle through the affluent suburb, revving his engine and “disturbing the peace.” Taylor told the outlet that he made an obscene hand gesture at Ritchson, who allegedly returned it.
Tensions between neighbors reportedly came to a head on Sunday when the actor and his children rode around the neighborhood on motorcycles, TMZ reported. Taylor reportedly approached Ritchson and begged him to “please stop this.” That reportedly sparked the altercation, which reportedly left Taylor with bruises and swelling. Taylor said she reported the incident to police. The Brentwood Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Times.
A source close to Ritchson denied Taylor's claim that the actor started the altercation, telling TMZ that Taylor had pushed Ritchson off his bike twice and ran into the street in an attempt to stop the actor's bike in a “really aggressive manner.” The source also told the outlet that Ritchson crashed, fell off his motorcycle and suffered cuts and bruises.
Ritchson, according to the source, attempted to diffuse the situation after Taylor allegedly dared him to get physical. However, the source claims that Taylor pushed Ritchson to the ground first, prompting the actor to throw punches at him.
TMZ reported that Ritchson “has cooperated with police” and that no arrests have been made in this case.
Ritchson, a former model and “American Idol” hopeful, is best known for playing the powerful and highly intelligent protagonist of Prime Video's “Reacher.” The show, an adaptation of the “Jack Reacher” book series by Lee Child, premiered in 2022 and will return this year for its fourth season, according to Ritchson.
Although the actor has not publicly addressed the fight, in the days leading up to the incident he posted several videos detailing his struggle with jet lag.
“The second best time to vlog… is after 48 hours of work and traveling without sleep,” he joked in a late-night video, “I guess that's the saying.”
