Olympic sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson was arrested and charged with fourth-degree domestic violence assault after an argument with fellow track star Christian Coleman allegedly turned physical.
The incident occurred on Sunday, July 27, at Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, where Richardson and Coleman were traveling together. According to a police report cited by The New York Times, the confrontation began shortly after they passed through TSA security.
An arresting officer claimed to have witnessed Richardson, 25, push the 29-year-old Coleman multiple times, causing him to stumble into a nearby column, according to USA Today, which referenced the Seattle Police Department’s account.
Surveillance footage from the airport reportedly showed Coleman attempting to walk away from Richardson, while she continued to bump into him. Authorities also alleged that she threw a pair of headphones at him, as USA Today reported.
Despite the confrontation, Coleman chose not to press charges and “declined to be a victim,” per The New York Times.
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Richardson was taken into custody and booked at the South Correctional Entity in Des Moines, Washington on the same day. She was released the following day, Monday, July 28, according to jail records obtained by PEOPLE.
In response to the news, USA Track and Field (USATF) issued a brief statement, telling PEOPLE, “USATF is aware of the reports. We do not have a comment on this matter.”
As of Friday, representatives for both Richardson and the Seattle Police Department had not responded to PEOPLE’s request for further comment.
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Despite the arrest, Richardson and Coleman both competed in the USATF Outdoor Championships preliminary rounds on Thursday, July 31, a key qualifier for the upcoming World Championships.
Richardson advanced to the final after finishing second in her 100-meter heat with a time of 11.07 seconds, securing her spot in Friday’s semifinal at the U.S. Track and Field Championships.
However, she later withdrew from the 100-meter semifinal and opted out of the 200-meter race as well. Even with the withdrawal, Richardson has already secured an automatic berth to the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, as she is the reigning World Champion in the 100 meters.
Before these developments, Richardson had earned silver in the 100 meters and gold in the 4×100-meter women’s relay at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
