Sha’Carri Richardson Arrested for Domestic Assault Days Before USATF 100m Semifinal
EUGENE, Ore. — Sha’Carri Richardson, Olympic silver medalist and reigning 100-meter world champion, was arrested at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport just four days before her scheduled semifinal at the 2025 USATF Outdoor Championships.
According to police records, Richardson, 25, was charged with fourth-degree domestic assault following a confrontation with fellow sprinter and boyfriend Christian Coleman. The incident occurred at a TSA checkpoint on July 27, where security footage reportedly showed Richardson pushing Coleman and later throwing headphones toward him.
Coleman, who identified Richardson as his girlfriend of two years, declined to press charges, but police proceeded with the arrest under Washington law. Richardson was booked into SCORE South Correctional Entity and released the next day under court order, with an initial no-contact and weapons relinquishment order, later revised in court.
Despite her arrest, Richardson ran in the preliminary round of the 100 meters on Thursday, posting an 11.07 finish to qualify for the semifinal. However, she scratched from the event the following day.
Coleman and the pair’s coach, Dennis Mitchell of Star Athletics, spoke in court to provide context. Coleman described the arrest as unnecessary but understood the officers’ legal obligations. “I honestly don’t think it should have escalated to the point where she was arrested,” he said, adding that they continue to work professionally as teammates.
Richardson has struggled through her 2025 season with few races and mixed results, including a last-place finish at the Prefontaine Classic. Despite this, her 2023 world title secures her a spot at the upcoming World Championships in Tokyo.
Richardson, who has been in the public eye for both her performances and past controversies—including a 2021 Olympic ban for marijuana use and a 2023 flight incident—remains one of the sport’s most compelling figures.
In 2023, she claimed gold in the 100 meters at the World Championships in Budapest with a time of 10.65, bronze in the 200 meters, and anchored Team USA to victory in the 4×100 relay. She followed that success in Paris in 2024 with a silver in the 100 and another relay gold.
The court proceedings related to her recent arrest are ongoing.
