On Tuesday, Vikings star running back Dalvin Cook was accused of assault by his former girlfriend. However, he claimed that she was the one who assaulted him and has now attempted to extort him for millions of dollars.
The woman, identified by the Star Tribune as Gracelyn Trimble, reportedly filed a lawsuit in Dakota County District Court, and it accuses Cook of assault, battery, and false imprisonment.
According to ESPN, Cook's legal team has yet to file any complaints against Trimble, but there are reports of pending litigation.
News Talk 830 WCCO's Mike Max shared that the situation may have become public after the two sides attempted to settle the situation out of court.
Max shared that Cook could have resolved the situation privately, but Trimble's side may have asked for millions of dollars. Max added Cook made the decision to take it to court because he has witnesses who will corroborate his side.
The incident in question allegedly occurred in November 2020, and Cook's attorney, Dave Valentini, claimed that the woman assaulted his client after breaking into his residence. Valentini went on to say in a statement on Tuesday that she later tried to extort him for millions of dollars.
Trimble alleged in her lawsuit that she traveled to Minnesota to break up with Cook and get her things from his home, but the situation turned violent.
She said that Cook gave her "a concussion, leaving a scar on my face and taking me through hell," the Star Tribune reported. The suit went on to say that Trimble used mace on Cook before going to his bedroom and grabbing his gun, calling a friend for help. She alleged that this led to Cook attacking her with a broomstick.
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In a screenshot of the two's Instagram messages, Cook's girlfriend sent photos of her face that appear to be bruised and swollen.
"I know what I did can't be rewind, but I just want you to know I'm sorry I love you so much despite you thinking I don't or never did, but I do," Cook said in the message.
He went on to say, "If you want to go to the police, I'll respect that I'll take my punishment for what I did."
However, Valentini claims that the woman used a stolen garage door opener to enter Cook's home illegally before attacking him and a guest with mace. He went on to say that she forced Cook and his guests to remain at the residence at gunpoint for hours.
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In the statement, Cook's legal counsel alleged that Trimble has been attempting to extort money from him. They also accused Trimble of having a violent history, "including repeated instances of criminal damage to Mr. Cook's property."
There have not been any criminal charges filed in the case, and the police were not contacted at the time of the altercation.
The Vikings released a statement on the situation, saying they "recently received notification from Dalvin Cook's legal representative regarding a situation that occurred between Dalvin and a female acquaintance in November 2020 and led to an ongoing dispute between the parties. Upon learning of this, we immediately notified the NFL. We are in the process of gathering more information and will withhold further comment at this time."
The NFL also acknowledged that they were made aware of the incident as soon as the team was made aware.
Cook spoke with reporters at practice on Wednesday, saying that "the truth and the details about the situation will come out at a further time and any further questions" could be asked to his attorney.
