In brief
In a shocking incident at New York City's Grand Central station, a man named Anthony Griffin, claiming to be 'Lucifer', attacked three people with a machete. The victims, aged 84, 65, and 70, suffered severe injuries but are expected to survive. Police responded swiftly, fatally shooting Griffin after he refused to comply with demands to drop the weapon. Officials assert there are no terrorism connections to this attack, which has left the community shaken.
A machete-wielding suspect randomly attacked three people at New York City's Grand Central station before he was fatally shot by police, in a rampage that diverted trains at the nation's biggest rail hub.
The suspect slashed an 84-year-old man and a 65-year-old man about the head and face and left a 70-year-old woman with cuts to her shoulder in the subway platform attack.
Police said the assailant, 44-year-old Anthony Griffin, ignored repeated demands to drop the weapon and called himself Lucifer.
Authorities said no connection to terrorism was suspected in the incident.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul stated that innocent people were attacked in a senseless act of violence, as Mayor Zohran Mamdani praised the police for their rapid response. Body camera footage is set to be released by the police.
The suspect had entered the subway system at Vernon Boulevard–Jackson Avenue in Queens, boarding the 7 train to Grand Central-42 Street station. He slashed his first victim before moving upstairs to attack two others on another platform.
In a statement, NYPD Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch reported the victims' injuries, with the elderly men suffering significant lacerations and one sustaining an open skull fracture. Two transit officers intervened shortly after receiving an alert, confronting Griffin, who was described as behaving erratically while armed.
Griffin was shot after advancing towards the officers with the machete and ignoring at least 20 commands to drop the weapon. Despite attempts to save him, he was pronounced dead at Bellevue Hospital. Fortunately, all three victims are anticipated to recover.
The attack has raised profound concerns about safety in public spaces, although the assailant had a criminal record, there was no prior indication of emotional disturbance reported to the NYPD.
