Knifeman calling himself ‘Lucifer’ slashes three at NYC’s Grand Central
On Saturday, a man armed with a machete attacked three individuals at New York City’s Grand Central station before being shot dead by police. The incident caused disruptions across the nation’s largest rail hub as the suspect, identified as Anthony Griffin, 44, launched an unprovoked assault on commuters. Officers intervened swiftly after the attacker ignored repeated calls to lower the weapon and proceeded to strike two more victims on a different platform.
The assailant targeted an 84-year-old man and a 65-year-old man, inflicting severe head and facial injuries on both. A 70-year-old woman also sustained shoulder cuts during the attack. According to police, the suspect had entered the subway system at Vernon Boulevard–Jackson Avenue in Queens that morning and boarded the 7 train en route to Grand Central-42 Street station. He then moved to a higher platform, where the second wave of injuries occurred.
“Innocent people were attacked in a senseless act of violence,” stated New York Governor Kathy Hochul in response to the event. The mayor, Zohran Mamdani, commended officers for their prompt reaction and confirmed that body camera footage of the incident would be shared with the public.
NYPD Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch detailed the suspect’s actions during a press briefing. “The individual was armed with a large knife, described as a machete, and was behaving erratically, repeatedly stating that he was Lucifer,” she said. At least 20 warnings to drop the weapon were disregarded before the attacker advanced toward officers with the blade raised.
Two transit officers nearby responded to the situation at 09:40 EDT (13:40 GMT). One discharged his firearm, striking the suspect twice, after which emergency procedures were initiated. Despite efforts to save his life, Griffin was pronounced dead at Bellevue Hospital. All three victims were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
Authorities reported that Griffin had a history of three prior arrests but no documented Emotionally Disturbed Person (EDP) records with the NYPD. The police have since advised residents to steer clear of the area while the investigation continues.
