World champion sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson was arrested last Sunday evening at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport following an alleged assault on her partner, fellow athlete Christian Coleman.
The 25-year-old American was detained on suspicion of fourth-degree domestic violence after airport security staff alerted police to a disturbance at a TSA checkpoint.
The incident occurred just four days before Richardson was scheduled to compete in the preliminary rounds of the USA Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon.
She spent nearly 19 hours in custody at the South Correctional Entity facility in Des Moines, Washington, before her release on Monday afternoon.
According to police documentation, security footage captured Richardson grabbing Coleman’s rucksack with her left hand and pulling it forcefully from him.
The arresting officer reported witnessing the sprinter blocking Coleman’s path as he attempted to move past her, before pushing him against a wall.
The incident escalated when Richardson allegedly hurled an object at Coleman, which TSA personnel suggested might have been a pair of headphones.
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Sha’Carri Richardson’s partner Christian Coleman chose not to pursue the matter further
The police report indicated that Coleman had been attempting to distance himself from Richardson during the confrontation.
Richardson was taken into custody at 6.54pm on Sunday and remained detained until 1.13pm the following day.
Despite the arrest, Coleman chose not to pursue the matter further.
The police report stated: “I was told Coleman did not want to participate any further in the investigation and declined to be a victim.”
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Richardson went on to participate in Thursday’s opening heats at the championships, recording a time of 11.07 seconds in the women’s 100-metre event.
Following the race, she appeared upbeat whilst speaking with journalists, saying: “Right now, I’m cruising under the radar, but when it’s time to hit it’s gonna be a bang where y’all see my name.”
However, she subsequently pulled out of the 100-metre final scheduled for later that evening.
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Sha’Carri Richardson has been dating Christian Coleman since 2023
Richardson holds the title of reigning 100-metre world champion, securing her an automatic place at September’s World Championships in Tokyo.
The Texas native claimed silver in the 100 metres and gold in the 4×100-metre relay at last year’s Paris Olympics.
Her relationship with Coleman became public in February, though the police report indicates they had been together for two years.
Richardson’s Olympic journey included missing the Tokyo 2020 Games due to a one-month suspension after testing positive for THC.
USA Track & Field released a brief statement acknowledging awareness of the reports but declining further comment on the matter.