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Vikings Everson Griffen Taken In For Treatment After Mental Health Crisis | Gun-Wielding NFL Player Lets Off Shots, Barricades Himself In House

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Minnesota Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen is reportedly going through a mental health crisis.

According to the Minnesota Public Safety Department, Griffen barricaded himself inside his house and refused to leave while communicating with Vikings team psychologists and local law enforcement, after informing police he fired a weapon inside the residence.

What Happened?

The incident happened early Wednesday morning.

According to reports, around 3 a.m., Griffen called 911 to report an intruder in the home, saying that “someone was inside his home and that he needed help from the police.”

He also requested police assistance. Griffen “told the 911 dispatcher that he fired a weapon but nobody was injured,” according to reports.

However, no one was injured, and law enforcement and Vikings officials reportedly were on the scene since 7 a.m. trying to “work with him to resolve the situation,” leading to the player leaving the home “without incident” at about 1:30 p.m. local time. Griffen reportedly was transported by ambulance to a treatment facility.

Concerning Situation

“We got him the necessary help that he needs, and [he’s] in the care of medical professionals,” Vikings general manager Rick Spielman said Wednesday afternoon.

 

Earlier in the day, as the crisis was unfolding, the team issued updates on the status of the situation.

“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 organization said in a statement. “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.”

 

Social Media Paranoia

However, concerns for Griffen’s mental health came into focus on Wednesday when he posted a since-deleted cryptic Instagram Story. Griffen wrote, “I need help people trying to kill me; at my own house.”

In the video, Griffen was holding a gun.

The 30-second video showed the 33-year-old with a firearm in his hand.

“Yo, yo, yo,” Griffen says in the video. “I’m in my house. N*****s trying to pop me. I still got clips left. This is my gun.”

Call For Help

In addition, he posted two Instagram posts of text messages that he sent to his agent, Brian Murphy, asking for help.

“People are trying to kill me,” he wrote in one post.

The posts have since been deleted.

Early during the 2018 season with the Vikings, Griffen took a month-long break to focus on his health and well-being after the team ordered him to undergo a mental health evaluation.

History Of Mental Illness

Griffen had been involved in two prior incidents with police that led him to be hospitalized. There was an incident in 2018 where, according to reports, police said he jumped out of an ambulance, fearing that “someone was going to shoot him.”

In April 2019, Griffen reportedly said he had a “rough year” relating to his mental health. However, Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer reportedly said he’s worried for Griffen and wasn’t sure if his player was “safe.”

“We’re only concerned about his well-being,” Zimmer said according to reports.

Griffen is the latest NFL player to showcase mental health issues on social media. The Las Vegas Raiders released cornerback Damon Arnette from his contract in early November after a video surfaced on social media of the player waving a gun and making threats.

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