Shannon “The Cannon” Rich, an old-school mixed martial arts veteran with more than 140 professional fights, was released by Phoenix police after claiming self-defense in a shooting last Saturday that left one man dead.
Phoenix's FOX 10 initially reported the news, and Phoenix Police confirmed the incident in a statement to MMA Fighting on Wednesday.
The altercation allegedly began when Ricci got into an argument with 32-year-old Alejandro Sampurina over a parking spot at a local bar, Twin Peaks.
See the full police statement below.
“On June 15, 2024, at approximately 9:20 p.m., officers responded to the area of 3060 West Agua Fria Freeway for a report of a shooting. The call stated that at least one person had been shot and that the shooter was still on scene. Officers arrived on scene and safely took the suspect, identified as Shannon Ricci, into custody and recovered a firearm. The victim, identified as Alejandro Sampurina, was found in the parking lot and transported by the Phoenix Fire Department to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased. Homicide investigators responded to the scene and have taken over the investigation.
“A preliminary investigation revealed that victim Alejandro Sampurina got into an argument with victim/suspect Shannon Ricci over a parking issue. During the argument, Sampurina pulled out a knife and chased Rich around his vehicle. Ricci was able to retrieve a handgun through the open door of the vehicle. Sampurina walked toward Rich in a threatening manner while holding the knife, at which point Rich responded by firing one shot, striking Sampurina. Ricci remained at the scene and was questioned by detectives. Ricci claimed self-defense, which is consistent with witness and surveillance footage. He was released at the conclusion of the investigation. Charges will be presented to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office for review.”
The investigation is ongoing, but Rich has not been charged with any crimes.
During his career, Rich has competed in dozens of organizations and faced many top up-and-comers over the years. His track record includes bouts against UFC veterans such as Joe Riggs, Shaunie Carter, Diego Sanchez, and UFC Hall of Famer Dan Severn. He also competed once in the PRIDE Fighting Championships, losing to UFC Hall of Famer Kazushi Sakuraba. He also fought once for BKFC in 2019.
The 53-year-old veteran has a mixed martial arts record of 58 wins and 90 losses.
