NFL training camp The Observer Everson Griffen: Police respond after NFL player fires gun in house and posts disturbing videos The Minnesota Vikings defensive end was taken into custody after firing off a gun in a Minneapolis home. Photograph: Tom Polansek/USA Today Sports
One day after the firing of a gun at a Minneapolis home where he was staying with friends, Minnesota Vikings defensive end Everson Griffen was arrested on assault and possession of a dangerous weapon charges.
Police said Griffen fired a gun about 4.30am on Sunday at the Minneapolis home of Jeron Johnson, but found out the next day that Johnson was not home. They said Johnson told police he was aware of news reports linking Griffen to the shooting, but felt comfortable leaving his home to go to work and claimed no physical altercation took place.
According to a police report, Johnson’s friends were “screaming at Griffen about his previous actions and he was having a temper tantrum”. Police said Griffen later retrieved a small caliber firearm from his car and removed ammunition from it.
The Vikings declined to comment on the arrest, but a source told ESPN that Griffen had already been detained by the team’s security staff and arrested before team officials were aware of the situation. ESPN reported that Griffen had to be kicked out of the home by Minneapolis police, although police said they were unaware of such an incident.
“We are aware of the incident and are in the process of gathering information,” Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer said in a statement. “As this is an ongoing investigation, we will have no further comment at this time.”
A man who answered the phone at Griffen’s agent’s office told the Guardian they did not have a comment at this time.
Zimmer and Minnesota Vikings players, including Griffen, participated in a march on Sunday to protest gun violence at the state capitol in St Paul.
“We were not looking for any trouble,” Tiffany Jones, a spokeswoman for the owners of that building, told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “We just want these protests to be as peaceful as possible.”
Jones was unaware that Griffen had been arrested and said “we will certainly monitor the situation”.