BALTIMORE -- Ray Rice was let go by the Ravens on Monday and suspended indefinitely by the NFL after a video was released that appears to show the running back striking his then-fiancée in February.

The grainy video, released by TMZ Sports, shows Rice and Janay Palmer in an elevator at an Atlantic City casino. Each hits the other before Rice knocks Palmer off her feet and into a railing. An earlier TMZ video showed Rice dragging Palmer, now his wife, from the elevator at the Revel casino, which closed Sept. 2.

The Associated Press reported Monday night that it had viewed a higher-quality video provided by a law enforcement official, and that Rice and Palmer could be heard shouting obscenities at each other. According to the AP, after she collapses, he drags her out of the elevator and is met by some hotel staff. One of them can be heard saying, "She's drunk, right?" And then, "No cops." Rice doesn't respond. The video, which is slightly longer than the TMZ version and includes some audio, was shown to the AP on condition of anonymity because the official isn't authorized to release it.

The Ravens said earlier Monday that they never saw the new video released by TMZ Sports. Hours later, they sent out a one-sentence statement:

"The Baltimore Ravens terminated the contract of RB Ray Rice this afternoon."

This was the first time the Ravens punished Rice and it was a unanimous decision that came after a brief meeting called by franchise owner Steve Bisciotti and involving general manager Ozzie Newsome, coach John Harbaugh and team president Dick Cass, a league source told ESPN's Ed Werder.

The source said Bisciotti first saw the video on his television and decided almost immediately that be believed the running back had to be released. He called a meeting to confer with other members of the organizational hierarchy.

"We hadn't seen the video," the source said. "The video changes the perspective."

While Newsome was calling Rice to inform him that he was being released, Bisciotti contacted commissioner Roger Goodell to inform the league office of what was about to take place, according to the source. Harbaugh also spoke to Rice on the telephone.

The NFL also took action, saying on Twitter that "Roger Goodell has announced that based on new video evidence that became available today he has indefinitely suspended Ray Rice."

Teams were notified that any contract with Rice would not be approved or take effect until further direction is provided by Goodell, a league source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

The executive director of the NFL Players Association, DeMaurice Smith, told SI.com that the video is disturbing and jarring.

"The video is really all the information I've seen. I did learn on the way over to the facility about Mr. Rice being released, and have not yet talked to Roger [Goodell] about any other discipline," Smith said, according to the report. "I did hear that [Rice had been suspended], but I tend to rely on the Commissioner and learning all the facts first-hand. That's what we'll do, and once we know what those facts are, that will dictate our next steps."

Harbaugh spoke Monday night after practice and said the video "changed things." Rice had three years remaining on his contract at $4 million this season, $3 million next season and $3 million in 2016. The Ravens will not owe Rice any money.

Rice's salary-cap number lowers from $8.75 million this season to $4.75 million. Next season, Rice would still be on the Ravens' cap for $9.5 million of dead money.

The sporting goods store Modells confirmed that it has pulled Rice jerseys from its stores, while a source told ESPN.com's Darren Rovell that Dicks Sporting Goods has also pulled the running back's jerseys from its locations.

Smyth Jewelers also announced that customers who have purchased Rice merchandise from them can return the items to one of its locations for full store credit. A donation will also be made equal to each item's purchase price to the House of Ruth Maryland to support women victims of domestic abuse and their children, Smyth said in a statement.

At Hersh's Pizza in Baltimore, those who donate Rice jerseys get free pizza and the restaurant will make a $2.70 donation to a domestic violence center for each jersey, according to ESPN.com's Darren Rovell. The restaurant collected 40 jerseys during the first four hours of the offer Monday night.