Three elderly New Yorkers—including an 84-year-old man who suffered an open skull fracture—were stabbed by a man wielding a machete on a crowded subway platform at Grand Central Station Saturday morning before police shot and killed the suspect, according to multiple reports.
The victims, an 84-year-old man, a 65-year-old man, and a 70-year-old woman, were transported to hospitals with what authorities described as non-life-threatening injuries, though the severity of the wounds underscores the vulnerability of elderly transit riders in a system that has seen recurring violence. One victim sustained significant lacerations to the head and face, another suffered similar injuries along with an open skull fracture, and the third had a laceration to the shoulder.
The Incident and Police Response
Officers responding to a 9:40 a.m. emergency call at the 42nd Street-Grand Central station encountered Anthony Griffin, 44, who was behaving erratically and claiming he was "Lucifer," according to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch. The suspect had been on a subway train before moving onto the platform around 9:50 a.m. ET, carrying a machete and acting erratically, according to a law enforcement official cited by CNN.
Commissioner Tisch said officers ordered Griffin to drop his weapon 20 times but he refused to comply. When the suspect lunged at officers, they opened fire, shooting him twice. Griffin was transported to Bellevue Hospital, where he later died from his injuries. "Our officers were confronted with an armed individual who had already injured multiple people and was continuing to pose a threat," Tisch said at an afternoon news conference. "They gave clear commands. They attempted to de-escalate. And when that threat did not stop, they took decisive action to stop it and to protect New Yorkers on one of the busiest train platforms in the city."
A Pattern of Prior Contact
The suspect had three prior unsealed arrests, according to the Associated Press. CNN reported that Griffin was known to police and had been arrested numerous times, including for menacing and slashing at people with a sharp object, according to two law enforcement sources. Chief of Transit Joseph Gulotta said the attacks appeared to be random acts.
The incident did not appear to be linked to terrorism at that stage of the investigation, CNN reported. The police department posted on X urging travelers to avoid the area Saturday morning because of a police investigation and to expect delays and heavy traffic. The Metropolitan Transit Authority said some subway trains were not stopping at the station, which is separate from regional train service at Grand Central.
Official Statements
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said on social media that she was "grateful to our brave officers who acted quickly to stop the suspect. We're working closely with the NYPD as the investigation unfolds."
Why This Matters:
This attack on three elderly transit riders at one of the nation's busiest transportation hubs highlights ongoing concerns about public safety in New York City's subway system, particularly for vulnerable populations including seniors who depend on mass transit. The suspect's history of multiple arrests, including previous incidents involving slashing at people with sharp objects, raises questions about gaps in mental health intervention and the criminal justice system's ability to prevent repeat violent offenses before they escalate to tragedy. For the millions of New Yorkers who rely on the subway for daily transportation, incidents like this underscore the need for comprehensive strategies that address both immediate security and the underlying failures in mental health care and social services that allow individuals with documented histories of violence to remain threats to public safety.