Sha'Carri Richardson arrested at Seattle airport, accused of assaulting boyfriend
SEATTLE - American track and field star Sha'Carri Richardson was arrested at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport after surveillance video allegedly captured her assaulting her boyfriend.
Richardson was arrested for fourth-degree domestic assault at security checkpoint 4 in Sea-Tac Airport's main terminal on Sunday, July 27. She was booked into the South Correctional Entity (SCORE) jail, and later released Monday afternoon.
The backstory:
The incident was first reported by a TSA supervisor who told a Port of Seattle police officer he witnessed Sha'Carri Richardson strike a man during a verbal altercation at the checkpoint, according to police reports.
Police reviewed TSA camera footage and said they observed Richardson yank the man's backpack away, get in his face, and push him several times, including once "hard enough that it sends him crashing into a nearby column."
The report also claims Richardson bumped the man as he attempted to walk away, and threw a pair of headphones at him.
EUGENE, OREGON - JULY 31: Sha'Carri Richardson reacts after competing in the Nike Women's 100m during the 2025 USATF Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field on July 31, 2025 in Eugene, Oregon. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Officers then spoke to the man, who police say claimed Richardson was his girlfriend of over two years. He reportedly told an officer that he got into an argument that became heated, but later stated nothing happened and denied any physical altercation occurred.
The police report states Richardson yelled at the man for calling police as he was being interviewed. Richardson allegedly told officers she did not assault him in any way and the dispute was only a verbal argument.
Richardson revealed she was scheduled to fly to Eugene, Oregon on an Alaska Airlines flight, the report states.
Richardson was ultimately booked into the SCORE jail in Des Moines for fourth-degree domestic violence assault, and was released by a court order the next day, according to jail records.
Following her arrest, Richardson withdrew from the U.S. track and field championships, which is held in Eugene. She previously defended her 100m title in the 2024 U.S. track and field championships, also known as the U.S. Olympic trials.
Sha'Carri Richardson became an Olympic champion in the 2024 Paris Olympics, winning a gold medal in the 4x100m relay and a silver medal in the 100m.
The Source: Information in this story came from case reports filed by the Port of Seattle Police Department, SCORE jail records and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.
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