Sha’Carri Richardson Arrested After Altercation With Boyfriend at Seattle Airport

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Surveillance footage from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has surfaced showing U.S. Olympic sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson in a physical altercation with fellow American sprinter Christian Coleman, her boyfriend of two years. The incident, which led to Richardson’s arrest for fourth-degree assault on July 27, 2025, was obtained by the Daily Mail and has drawn public attention due to both athletes’ high profiles.

The video shows Coleman walking through the concourse when Richardson approaches from behind, pulling on his backpack strap. Though there is no audio, the footage captures Richardson appearing agitated before shoving Coleman against a support column. Witnesses at the terminal can be seen reacting as she bumps into him repeatedly. At one point, an object—believed to be her headphones—appears to be thrown toward Coleman’s head. The confrontation continued until Coleman approached a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agent for assistance.

According to the Port of Seattle Police report, Richardson told officers the argument began when Coleman took her headphones. She denied assaulting him, stating it was only a verbal dispute. Coleman, however, spoke to officers at the scene and later to reporters, saying he did not press charges and felt she should not have been arrested.

“For me personally, I feel like it was a sucky situation all round,” Coleman told Citius Mag. “I’m in the business of extending grace, mercy, and love… She’s a human being and a great person.” He added that both are “dominant personalities” and that Richardson has faced significant personal challenges but will “bounce back.”

Richardson, who won gold in the 4×100-meter relay and silver in the 100-meter at the 2024 Olympics, spent 18 hours in custody before being released. The couple’s relationship became public earlier this year, and both were competing at the 2025 USA Track & Field Championships in Eugene, Oregon, at the time of the arrest.

On Thursday, Richardson ran 11.07 seconds in the women’s 100-meter preliminary heat before withdrawing from the semifinals. She returned to compete in the women’s 200-meter later in the competition. As the reigning 100-meter World Champion, she holds an automatic spot at this year’s World Championships in Tokyo.

Speaking after her preliminary race, Richardson said, “Being able to compete; feeling healthy, going out there and executing… just to run a qualifying round, show fitness, and take the rest of the time to get ready for Tokyo.”

Richardson has faced controversy before. In 2021, she was barred from competing in the Tokyo Olympics after testing positive for marijuana at the U.S. Olympic trials.

The case has not yet gone to court, and no trial date has been set.