NYC Subway Horror at Grand Central: Machete Attack Leaves Three Injured Before Police Fatally Shoot Suspect

 A violent and chaotic incident unfolded Saturday morning at New York City’s 42nd Street–Grand Central subway station, one of the busiest transit hubs in the United States, after a machete-wielding man attacked three people in what police described as a sudden and alarming outbreak of violence that sent commuters into panic and forced a large emergency response underground.

According to authorities, officers responded at approximately 9:40 a.m. after receiving multiple emergency calls reporting stabbings inside the station. When officers arrived, they encountered a man acting erratically and making disturbing statements, including claiming he was “Lucifer,” according to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.

Police said the suspect repeatedly refused commands to drop his weapon, ignoring more than 20 orders from officers who attempted to de-escalate the situation while maintaining distance from the armed individual as he continued to pose an immediate threat in the crowded transit environment.

Officials reported that the confrontation escalated when the suspect, identified as Anthony Griffin, 44, advanced toward officers with the machete extended, prompting an officer to fire two shots. Griffin was transported to Bellevue Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

The three victims included an 84-year-old man, a 65-year-old man, and a 70-year-old woman, all of whom sustained injuries that authorities said were not believed to be life-threatening, though the attacks left them with serious and traumatic wounds requiring medical treatment.

Police said the suspect initially attacked one victim on a subway platform before moving to another level of the station, where he slashed two additional individuals. Officials described the attacks as seemingly random, adding to the shock and confusion surrounding the incident.

For commuters, the morning quickly turned into a scene of fear and urgency, as witnesses described crowds rushing toward exits while the sound of gunfire echoed through the station, bringing one of the city’s busiest transportation systems to a temporary halt.

Transit service was disrupted for hours as trains bypassed the station while law enforcement secured the area, gathered evidence, and worked to ensure no further threat remained. Authorities have confirmed that the investigation is ongoing as officials review surveillance footage and witness accounts to fully understand the sequence of events inside the station.