Sandy MaloneEagan, MN – Minnesota Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen has barricaded himself in his home and refused to come out to talk with police or team psychologists in what is an ongoing standoff after he posted a disturbing video to Instagram that featured him waving a gun around and claiming that someone was trying to kill him (video below).
The Minnetrista Public Safety Department said in a press release that Griffen called 911 at about 3 a.m. on Nov. 24 and asked for help because someone was inside his home, ESPN reported.
Griffen told the 911 dispatcher that he had a gun and had fired it but that no one in the residence was injured.
Earlier, the National Football League (NFL) player had posted several disturbing videos to Instagram that have since been deleted, ESPN reported.
“I’m in my house. N-a trying to pop me,” Griffen said in one video. “I’ve still got clips left. This is my gun, .45 Wilson Combat, registered to me. I bought all my bullets around town.”
“Dalvin Cook helped me purchase this gun,” he continued. “It all belongs to me, and they are registered to me. I know exactly where I bought them. I’ve got the card I have them on. I have everything.”
Griffen also posted a message asking for help on his Instagram story during the same time frame, ESPN reported.
“I need help people trying to kill me. At my own house,” he wrote and shared screenshots of a text conversation he allegedly had with his agent during which his asked for help from 911.
Law enforcement officials have said they are “confident” that Griffen is alone inside his home, ESPN reported.
The Minnesota Vikings released a statement as the standoff continued on Wednesday afternoon.
“Vikings representatives and the team’s mental health professionals have been on-site at Everson Griffen’s home since early this morning and are cooperating with law enforcement,” the statement read. “Our only concern at this time is the safety and well-being of Everson and his family. We will have further comment at the appropriate time.”
Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer told ESPN that he wasn’t sure if Griffen was safe and said he had no idea whether the defensive end would be playing against the 49ers in San Francisco.
“No, that’s really not our concern right now,” Zimmer said. “It’s really about him.”
This isn’t the first time that Griffen has suffered from mental health issues, ESPN reported.
“We’re only concerned about his well-being,” Zimmer said. “He’s been with us for a long time. Good guy. Works hard.”
Griffen had to take a hiatus from the Vikings in 2018 after two incidents that involved police and resulted in the football player’s hospitalization, ESPN reported.
He was detained and taken to a Hennepin County hospital for a psychological evaluation in September of 2018 after he threatened to “shoot up” the Hotel Ivy where he and a number of players lived and behaved aggressively toward the staff.
Earlier that day, a Vikings staff member had contacted police to report that Griffen was acting strangely and that some members of the team were concerned that he might harm himself or someone else, TMZ reported.
Griffen’s wife, Tiffany, also told officers that Griffen had been dealing with “demons” in his mind, and that he was behaving erratically.
She said that she had received a call that Griffen had “broke into” the residence of his teammate, Trae Waynes, and that he was not wearing a shirt at the time, police said.
Griffen had fled the scene prior to Minnetrista officers’ arrival.
They later learned that he ran into an acquaintance at a gas station near Waynes’ home, and that he jumped into the man’s passenger seat and told him to drive him around.
Griffen’s wife, Tiffany, also told officers that her husband had been dealing with “demons” in his mind, and that he was behaving erratically.
She said that she had received a call that Griffen had “broke into” the residence of his teammate, Trae Waynes, and that he was not wearing a shirt at the time, police said.
Griffen had fled the scene prior to Minnetrista officers’ arrival.
Police later learned that he ran into an acquaintance at a gas station near Waynes’ home, and that he jumped into the man’s passenger seat and told him to drive him around.
The panicked driver contacted Griffen’s wife, who alerted police as to her husband’s location.
Officers were able to locate the vehicle, and summonsed paramedics to the scene.
Griffen eventually agreed to go to a local hospital for an evaluation.
Along the way, Griffen became frightened when a deer sprinted across the road, so he jumped out of the moving ambulance.
According to TMZ, Griffen explained that he “was in fear that someone was going to shoot him.”
UPDATE: The Vikings put out a statement late on Wednesday afternoon that said the standoff had ended peacefully.
The team said police had notified them that Griffen had come out of his home without incident and would be getting the mental health care he needed.
Statement from the #Vikings pic.twitter.com/nHGXOZPFH9
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) November 24, 2021
Watch the video Griffen posted to Instagram at the start of the incident. WARNING – Graphic Content and Obscene Language:
Holly Matkin
