A man who allegedly referred to himself as “Lucifer” stabbed three people with a machete inside one of New York City’s busiest transit hubs before being fatally shot by police officers responding to the scene.
Suspect Identified and Timeline of Events
According to the New York Police Department, the suspect was identified as Anthony Griffin, 44.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Griffin entered the subway system at the Vernon Boulevard station in Queens around 9:30 a.m. on April 11 and boarded a No. 7 train heading toward Grand Central Terminal.
During the journey, he was reportedly behaving erratically and repeatedly claimed that he was “Lucifer.”
Three Victims Injured in Random Attack
Authorities said the attack began shortly after Griffin arrived at Grand Central. An 84-year-old man suffered lacerations to the head and face during the initial assault.
Griffin then moved to another platform serving the 4, 5 and 6 trains, where he slashed a 70-year-old woman on the shoulder. A 65-year-old man also sustained similar injuries.
All three victims were transported to a hospital and were listed in stable condition. Officials said the attack appeared to be random, and the victims did not know the suspect.
Police Confrontation and Fatal Shooting
When officers arrived, they confronted Griffin, who was still armed and posing a threat. According to Commissioner Tisch, officers issued at least 20 commands for him to drop the weapon and attempted to de-escalate the situation.
Despite these efforts, Griffin allegedly advanced toward officers with the machete. One officer then fired, striking him twice.
Griffin was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Two officers were also hospitalized and reported to be in stable condition.
Investigation Underway
Officials confirmed that Griffin had three prior arrests. Authorities are continuing to investigate the incident, and subway service disruptions were reported as trains were diverted from the station.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he had been briefed on the situation and praised the police response, noting that further details, including body camera footage, would be released as part of an internal review.
