Olympic sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson was taken into custody on Sunday following an incident at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
The 25-year-old was arrested on charges related to domestic violence after an altercation with her boyfriend, fellow sprinter Christian Coleman, as reported by Athletic.
It appears that things escalated during a discussion at the TSA security checkpoint. An arresting officer observed Coleman getting aggressive toward Richardson multiple times, even beyond what was captured on airport security footage.
Richardson is facing a charge classified as a fourth-degree domestic violence incident.
According to Athletic, Coleman chose not to pursue any charges, stating that he “refused to become a victim.”
The incident led to Richardson being held at the Score South Correctional Facility in Des Moines, Washington, for just under 19 hours before her release on Monday.
Richardson and Coleman have reportedly been in a relationship for over two years; however, they only made it public earlier this year in February.
This incident coincides with the backdrop of the 2025 US Athletics Championships, where both athletes are competing, including events scheduled for Thursday.
In the first round of the women’s 100-meter race, Richardson clocked a time of 11.07 seconds, advancing to the semi-finals.
She is currently defending her title in the 100-meter event as she prepares for this year’s World Championships.
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time Richardson has faced controversy in the wake of air travel. Two years ago, she was removed from an American Airlines flight following a dispute with a flight attendant. She shared her experience via Instagram, recounting that the attendant had asked her to end a phone call. She described how the attendant leaned over to check her phone while requesting she ensure her device was in airplane mode.
