Report: Vikings’ Everson Griffen Allegedly Threatened to Shoot Someone at Hotel

Adam Bettcher/Getty Images

Minnesota Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen was reportedly named in a police report regarding an incident at a Minneapolis hotel in which a person allegedly “[threatened] to shoot someone in the middle of the day on Saturday.”

KSTP’s Ryan Raiche reported Monday that Minneapolis police redacted the person’s name in the report, but a source told Raiche that Griffen was the man in question.

An emergency dispatcher relayed to officers that a man had issued the threat unless hotel staff allowed him in his room.

Raiche also reported Griffen allegedly “threatened to assault staff members” before leaving the hotel. Officers didn’t make any arrests and didn’t find a gun after responding to the scene.

According to a report from Seth Kaplan of Fox 9, Griffen was then arrested for allegedly trying to break into a teammate’s home and is having a mental health evaluation.

Vikings general manager Rick Spielman offered a statement on the allegations: “We are aware of the situation involving Everson Griffen and certainly concerned by what we have heard. We are currently focused on Everson’s well-being and providing the appropriate support for him and his family.”

Griffen didn’t play in the Vikings’ 27-6 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. In the team’s official injury report, Griffen was listed as out with knee injury.

Head coach Mike Zimmer declined to go into specifics about his availability after the Bills game.

“He’s having a personal matter and I’m going to leave it at that,” Zimmer said, per the Star Tribune‘s Andrew Krammer.

Ahead of Minnesota’s Week 4 matchup with the Los Angeles Rams, the Vikings said Griffen didn’t practice Monday, citing the knee injury but adding his absence was also “not injury related.”