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Vikings Suspend Chris Cook Without Pay

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Just hours after Minnesota Vikings player Chris Cook posted $40,000 bail and was released from the Hennepin County Jail, the Vikings announced he has been suspended without pay.

Cook, 24, was arrested by Eden Prairie Police early Saturday morning at his home after neighbors heard screaming and arguing coming from his home.

He was taken into custody and later charged with felony domestic assault by strangulation and domestic abuse. Cook spent the weekend in jail and didn't play in the Vikings 33-27 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

The Vikings released a statement on the incident Tuesday night.

"Today's allegations against Chris Cook are very disturbing and disappointing. At this time he is suspended without pay from the team while we continue to gather information regarding the situation. We will have no further comment until the appropriate time," the statement reads.

According to the criminal complaint, when police arrived they found a woman sitting on the living room floor. She was holding her head with her hand and her nose was bleeding.

The woman told police that she had been assaulted and strangled by her boyfriend of 10 months, identified as Cook.

"She was strangled not once but twice," said Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman. "The fingerprints on her neck, and interestingly enough, were one on this side, and several on the other side which fits with the hand."

According to the complaint, the woman told police that Cook was upset with her for contacting an ex-boyfriend. He threw the woman on a bed and grabbed her neck with an open hand, making it difficult for her to breathe.

She was able to get free by pulling Cook's hair but when she stood up, Cook hit her in the ear, causing her to hit the wall, according to the complaint.

Cook then followed her and again squeezed her neck with his hand. When police arrived, they observed marks on the woman's neck and hemorrhaging in the woman's eye which is consistent with strangulation.

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