Sha’Carri Richardson Arrested Over Domestic Violence Incident at Seattle Airport

Reigning 100 metres world champion Sha’Carri Richardson was arrested at Seattle–Tacoma International Airport following an alleged domestic violence incident involving her boyfriend Christian Coleman.

The 25-year-old Olympian was charged with fourth-degree domestic violence assault after a verbal argument reportedly escalated into physical confrontation.

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According to a police report obtained by The New York Times, Richardson pushed Coleman multiple times in view of a police officer.

The report states that during the altercation, Coleman attempted to walk away but was followed and allegedly bumped into repeatedly by Richardson.

At one point, she reportedly threw a pair of headphones at him. The officer at the scene witnessed the incident, noting that Coleman stumbled into a nearby column after being shoved.

Security footage from the airport also appeared to support the officer’s account, as cited by USA Today.

Despite the confrontation, Coleman declined to press charges and told authorities he did not wish to be considered a victim.

Richardson was taken into custody and booked at the South Correctional Entity in Des Moines, Washington, late Sunday evening. Jail records confirmed she was released the following day, Monday, July 28.

The incident took place just days before Richardson was scheduled to compete at the 2025 USATF Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon—a key qualifying event for the upcoming World Championships in Tokyo.

Despite the arrest, Richardson went on to compete in the preliminary rounds of the 100-meter race on Thursday, July 31, and successfully advanced to the semifinals with a time of 11.07 seconds.

However, on Friday, August 1, she abruptly withdrew from the semifinal heat and also opted out of the 200-meter event.

Though Richardson’s sudden exit from the championship has raised eyebrows, she remains eligible for the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo. Her automatic bid comes from her victory in the 100 meters at the 2023 World Championships in Budapest.

The sprinter’s legal troubles follow a celebrated summer in Paris, where she claimed silver in the 100 meters and helped lead Team USA to gold in the 4×100-meter relay

Neither Richardson’s representatives nor the Seattle Police Department had responded to multiple media inquiries by Friday evening. Port of Seattle Police have also not released any additional statements regarding her arrest.