On Tuesday night, Minnesota Vikings star running back Dalvin Cook’s agent Zac Hiller claimed his client was the victim of domestic abuse and extortion, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Hiller said there’s pending litigation involving the two-time Pro Bowl back.
Cook’s attorney, David Valentini, released a statement, which, according to NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero, responded to a civil lawsuit filed Tuesday alleging that Cook assaulted a woman. The statement said that last November, US Military Sergeant First Class Gracelyn Trimble broke into the home of Cook using a stolen garage door opener. The woman then assaulted Cook and maced him along with two houseguests. She then armed herself with a firearm and forced Cook along with his two guests at gunpoint to remain in the residence for hours. Trimble allegedly assaulted one of the guests, and Cook, trying to stop the attack, knocked her to the ground, resulting in “a small cut above her nose.”
Valentini’s statement said that Sgt. Trimble and Cook had a short-term relationship, and she became emotionally abusive as well as physically aggressive. She is now allegedly trying to extort Cook for millions of dollars.
According to the civil lawsuit filed by Trimble, Cook was the assaulter. Per The Star Tribune, Trimble accused Cook of, “giving me a concussion, leaving a scar on my face and taking me through hell.” In the filing, she claims Cook “grabbed her arm, and slung her whole body over the couch, slamming her face into the coffee table and causing her lower forehead and the bridge of her nose to bust open.”
The Vikings released a statement on this development per Schefter.
“We 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.”
