Police are out with a male suspect that was holding a knife to his own neck near the Carl’s Jr on North Avenue and 28 1/2 Road. The male attempted to flee from police on foot and was quickly tasered and taken into custody. The suspect was originally contacted by police for outstanding warrants. An ambulance was dispatched to check the suspect for injury.
From the Grand Junction Police Department:
On June 19, 2025, at approximately 9:15 a.m., officers with the Grand Junction Police Department contacted a male subject on the 2800 block of North Avenue. The individual, identified as 51-year-old Michael Ritchie, was known to have multiple active arrest warrants.
During the encounter, Ritchie was armed with a knife and actively resisted arrest. Officers deployed a taser in an effort to safely gain compliance. They were able to successfully disarm and detain Ritchie without injury to the public or responding officers.
Ritchie was transported to a local hospital for evaluation before being booked into the Mesa County Detention Facility. In addition to his outstanding warrants, Ritchie was arrested on the following charges:
- Resisting Arrest
- Obstruction
- Possession of Schedule I/II Controlled Substance
- Possession of Drug Paraphernalia
The Grand Junction Police Department considers this to be an isolated incident, with no ongoing threat to the public. No further information is available at this time.