Knifeman calling himself ‘Lucifer’ slashes three at NYC’s Grand Central

Knifeman Identifies Himself as ‘Lucifer’ Injures Three at NYC’s Grand Central

Saturday morning saw a violent incident at New York City’s Grand Central station, where a man wielding a machete targeted three individuals in a random attack before being shot by law enforcement. The assailant, identified as Anthony Griffin, 44, called himself ‘Lucifer’ during the chaos and disregarded repeated orders to lower his weapon.

According to NYPD Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, Griffin entered the subway system at Vernon Boulevard–Jackson Avenue in Queens and boarded the 7 train heading to the Grand Central-42 Street station. The attack unfolded on a platform, where he struck one person, followed by two more on a different platform. The victims included an 84-year-old man with severe head and facial injuries, a 65-year-old man suffering from similar wounds and a skull fracture, and a 70-year-old woman with shoulder cuts.

“Innocent people were attacked in a senseless act of violence,” stated New York Governor Kathy Hochul in response to the incident. The governor emphasized the randomness of the assault, which disrupted train operations at the country’s largest rail hub.

Transit officers on-site were alerted at 09:40 EDT (13:40 GMT). Tisch described Griffin as acting erratically, brandishing a large knife labeled as a machete, and repeatedly declaring his identity. Despite at least 20 attempts to command him to drop the weapon, Griffin advanced toward the officers with the blade raised.

One officer fired, striking the suspect twice, and emergency measures were initiated. However, Griffin was later pronounced dead at Bellevue Hospital. All three victims were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. The police urged residents to steer clear of the area while the investigation continues.

Tisch noted that Griffin had a history of three prior arrests but no record of being classified as an Emotionally Disturbed Person (EDP) by the NYPD. The mayor, Zohran Mamdani, commended the officers for their swift action and confirmed that body camera footage of the event would be made public.