Everson Griffen remained at a hospital as of Tuesday undergoing a mental health evaluation, and new details from the events that led to him being admitted paint a picture of a man who needs serious help.
According to a police report obtained by Paul Walsh of The Star Tribune, Griffen’s wife said he left home on Sept. 16 after he awoke suddenly in the middle of the night, which is something he does at times when fighting “demons” in his head. Griffen’s wife said he returned briefly on Wednesday for an hour before leaving again until Saturday. She said he wasn’t making sense and ordered her to leave the couple’s home before he went to the Hotel Ivy in downtown Minneapolis, where he sometimes stays during the week.
It was at the Hotel Ivy that Griffen allegedly threatened to shoot staff members, who called police. He was not arrested and left on his own, and those who reported the incident said they did not see a gun.
Griffen’s wife notified police that the 30-year-old needs medication for his mental struggles and had not slept in days. An officer called Griffen on his cell phone, and the defensive end said he was going to be gone for about a week and again was not speaking coherently. Griffen’s wife later contacted police to inform them Griffen said he was at Vikings teammate Trae Waynes’ home and was trying to break in. Griffen later returned home shirtless in a truck with a man who had seen him at a gas station and given him a ride.
When police met Griffen at his home, they said he was making comments about angels and said he went to Waynes’ home because “God made me do it.” He agreed to be taken for mental health treatment, but the report says he fled the ambulance and later agreed to continue the trip with a police escort.
Griffen’s wife also told police that he has been growing increasingly paranoid and feared someone was going to kill him in the days and weeks leading up to Saturday’s events.
Griffen is in his ninth season with the Vikings. The former USC star was also involved in an incident with police that turned ugly several years ago. He did not play in Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills and is not traveling with the team to Los Angeles to face the Rams this week.
