Sha’Carri Richardson’s Boyfriend, Christian Coleman, Speaks Out After Her Arrest

The track-and-field athlete defended his girlfriend after she was arrested at an airport on an alleged domestic violence offense against him. She has since been released.

Christian Coleman is defending his partner, reigning 100-meter world champion Sha'Carri Richardson, after she allegedly physically assaulted him at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The professional sprinter feels the situation was blown a little out of proportion.

"For me personally, I feel like it was a sucky situation all round," Coleman told USA Today on Sunday, August 3. "I don't feel like she should have been arrested. I mean people have discussions and emotions and stuff like that."

He continued, "She has things that she needs to work on for herself, of course. So do I, so do you, so does everybody. But I'm the type of guy who's in the business of extending grace, and mercy and love."

Coleman's remarks come just a week after Richardson was released from the South Correctional Entity in Des Moines, Washington, on Monday, July 28. She had been arrested the previous Sunday, according to a police report obtained by The Associated Press.

According to the report, an officer at the airport was notified about a disturbance between Coleman and Richardson. The officer reviewed footage that reportedly showed Richardson grabbing Coleman's backpack and yanking it away from him.

Richardson then blocked Coleman's path by standing in his way. When he tried to step around her, she shoved him into a wall. The report later stated that Richardson appeared to throw an item at Coleman, which was identified by the TSA as headphones.

The officer who reviewed the footage also stated, "I was told Coleman did not want to participate any further in the investigation and declined to be a victim."