Knifeman calling himself ‘Lucifer’ slashes three at NYC’s Grand Central
Knifeman calling himself ‘Lucifer’ slashes three at NYC’s Grand Central
At the heart of New York City’s largest transportation center, a 44-year-old man wielding a machete initiated a chaotic attack, injuring three individuals before being shot dead by law enforcement. The incident, which unfolded on a Saturday morning, disrupted train services and left a trail of panic among commuters.
Victims and assailant details
According to authorities, the attacker struck an 84-year-old man and a 65-year-old man on the subway platform, causing severe lacerations to their heads and faces. A 70-year-old woman also sustained shoulder injuries during the assault. Police identified the suspect as Anthony Griffin, who reportedly refused to comply with multiple commands to lower his weapon and claimed to be known as Lucifer.
“Innocent people were attacked in a senseless act of violence,” stated New York Governor Kathy Hochul, addressing the incident. The mayor, Zohran Mamdani, commended officers for their swift actions and assured that body camera footage of the attack would be shared with the public.
NYPD Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch revealed that Griffin entered the subway system at Vernon Boulevard–Jackson Avenue in Queens. He boarded a 7 train bound for Grand Central-42 Street station, where he first assaulted one individual on the platform. After moving to another level, he attacked two additional victims, both men in their late 60s, with similar injuries. One suffered an open skull fracture, as noted by Tisch.
Transit officers responded to the scene at 09:40 EDT (13:40 GMT), describing the suspect as carrying a large knife and acting unpredictably. “The individual was armed with a machete and behaved erratically, repeatedly declaring he was Lucifer,” Tisch explained. Despite being urged to drop the weapon at least 20 times, Griffin advanced toward officers with the blade raised. One officer fired, striking him twice, and emergency measures were taken. However, the suspect later died at Bellevue Hospital.
All three victims were transported to medical facilities with non-life-threatening injuries. Police advised residents to steer clear of the area as investigations continued. Griffin had a history of three prior arrests but no documented records indicating an Emotionally Disturbed Person (EDP) status with the NYPD.