Minnesota Timberwolves forward Dante Cunningham, charged last week with choking his live-in girlfriend during a domestic assault, is now suspected of sending her threatening messages, police said on Monday.

Cunningham, 26, was arrested on a felony domestic assault charge and ordered to stay away from the woman after an alleged attack on Thursday in Medina, Minnesota, a suburb west of Minneapolis.

He posted a bond and was released on Friday. He then traveled to Orlando and played nearly 34 minutes in a 100-92 loss against the Orlando Magic on Saturday.

The Timberwolves have already been eliminated from NBA playoff contention.

Police said they returned to the home early on Sunday to investigate a potential violation of the protective order after a report that the same woman was receiving threatening messages from Cunningham.

"They were direct threats that rose to the terroristic level," Medina Police Chief Edgar Belland said in a telephone interview on Monday.

Reuters

(China Daily 04/09/2014 page24)