'Reacher' Star Slammed By Police Organization After Claiming Cops Murder People
Alan Ritchson is facing serious criticism after claiming cops regularly murder people.
The "Reacher" star recently addressed wearing a shirt advocating for the cops on the Breonna Taylor raid to be arrested. Taylor was killed in a botched raid when her then-boyfriend fired at the police. Multiple officers involved were charged over the search warrant that led to the raid.
"That was a tragic case. Cops get away with murder all the time, and the fact that we can’t really hold them accountable for their improprieties is disturbing to me. We should completely reform the way that we do it. I mean, you shouldn’t have to spend more time getting an education as a hairstylist than as a cop who’s armed with a deadly weapon. We should make it very hard for people to make mistakes or abuse power in our institutions," Ritchson told The Hollywood Reporter in the now-viral interview.
Alan Ritchson faces criticism for saying police murder people. (Photo by Momodu Mansaray/WireImage)
Well, Ritchson is facing some incoming fire from the National Fraternal Order of Police. The organization shared the following Friday on Facebook:
"While Mr. Alan Ritchson gets his face and forehead powdered on set, our officers are out doing a job he doesn’t have the courage to do. While he gets to hear loud pops and have blanks fired at him, our officers feel the heat of the bullets as they pierce their skin. There are no take two’s or take three’s in real life Mr. Ritchson. We have people who want to kill us and we play for keeps. Just another useless Hollywood actor, virtue signaling for attention at the expense of brave police officers around this country. Go back to your pampered life and let the heroes handle this."
Alan Ritchson slammed by police organization.
There's no question Ritchson deserves the criticism he's receiving. The biggest issue isn't just that he made incendiary comments. It's that the facts and data make it clear he's 100% incorrect.
There have been four deaths of unarmed people at the hands of police in 2024, according to The Washington Post police shooting database. Four in a country of roughly 330 million people, and three appear justified and one downright tragic.
Let's run them down:
- Victor Figueroa Roblero - shot during an alleged physical altercation with a Spartanburg Methodist College campus security officer.
- Roshod Graham - shot after allegedly ramming his car into police following an alleged domestic dispute at a gas station.
- Terrell Marshawn Miller - A four-year-old shot and killed when 57-year-old Anthony T. George allegedly held a knife to his throat and stomach. Miller died when police attempted to shoot George. The latter was also killed during the incident. It amounts to a failed hostage rescue mission.
- Mariah Voigt - shot and killed by police after allegedly motioning like she had a gun following a response to what officers believed was a stolen vehicle.
In what world does Ritchson look at the data and think cops are regularly murdering people? There's no data to support that claim. He either knows that and said it anyway, or he's incredibly ignorant. Neither is a good option.
Plus, as I noted when he initially made the comments, the criminal justice system shows little mercy for cops convicted of crimes against citizens. The betrayal of the public trust and the power given to them is always dealt with harshly.
Alan Ritchson taking heat for comments about cops. (Photo by Peru Williams/Variety via Getty Images)
It will be interesting to see how long the backlash lasts and whether or not "Reacher" viewership - a show loved by conservatives - takes a hit. Ritchson would be wise to apologize and move on. However, I doubt that happens. Let me know what you think at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.