Sha’Carri Richardson Arrested in Domestic Incident at Seattle Airport

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Track and field standout Sha’Carri Richardson was arrested last weekend in Washington state following an alleged altercation at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport involving her boyfriend, fellow sprinter Christian Coleman. Richardson, 25, is facing a charge of fourth-degree domestic violence, according to a police report obtained by the Associated Press (AP).

Authorities responded to a report of a disturbance at the airport on Sunday. A Transportation Security Administration (TSA) supervisor alerted police after observing a dispute between Richardson and Coleman. Surveillance footage reviewed by law enforcement showed Richardson pulling Coleman’s backpack, blocking his movement, and allegedly pushing him into a wall. The report also noted that Richardson appeared to throw an object, possibly a pair of headphones, at him.

Richardson was taken into custody and booked at the South Correctional Entity in Des Moines, Washington, at 6:54 p.m. on Sunday. She was released the following day at 1:13 p.m. Coleman reportedly declined to pursue charges and did not wish to participate further in the investigation, according to the police report.

USA Track and Field (USATF) acknowledged the incident in a statement but declined to comment further. Richardson’s agent did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Despite the legal matter, Richardson competed in the opening round of the 100-metre event at the U.S. Track and Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, on Thursday. As the reigning world champion in the women’s 100-metre dash, after securing gold at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, she holds an automatic qualification for this year’s world championships, set to take place in Tokyo this September.

Richardson has been a high-profile figure in American track and field since rising to national prominence. She previously made headlines in 2021 after being disqualified from the Tokyo Olympics due to a positive marijuana test following the U.S. Olympic trials.