Full Breakdown
Grand Central Subway Shooting: Police Kill Machete-Wielding Attacker After Stabbing Three Elderly Riders
5/3/2026, 3:56:00 AM
Incident Summary
On Saturday, April 11 2026, at approximately 9:40 a.m., NYPD Transit detectives Ryan Giuffre and Anthony Manetta encountered 44-year-old Anthony Griffin wielding a large machete on the stairs leading to the 4/5/6 platform of the 42nd Street-Grand Central subway station. Griffin had already slashed three older passengers. After issuing repeated commands to drop the weapon, the detectives fired two shots, striking Griffin. He was transported to Bellevue Hospital and pronounced dead.
Chronology of the Attack
- 9:30 a.m. – Griffin entered the subway system at Vernon Blvd. station in Queens and rode the No. 7 train to Grand Central.
- 9:35 a.m. – He emerged on the 7-train platform and attacked an 84-year-old man, inflicting severe head and facial lacerations.
- 9:38 a.m. – Griffin moved to the 4/5/6 platform, slashing a 65-year-old man (open skull fracture) and a 70-year-old woman (shoulder wound).
- 9:40 a.m. – Detectives Giuffre and Manetta arrived on the mezzanine, pursued Griffin up the stairs, issued multiple commands, and fired two rounds as he advanced with the knife raised.
People Involved
- Anthony Griffin – 44-year-old, identified as a battle-rapper “Fox 5,” with three prior arrests but no documented mental-health diagnosis.
- Detective Ryan Giuffre – Transit Bureau detective, on overtime patrol, the officer who drew his firearm.
- Detective Anthony Manetta – Giuffre’s partner, also on overtime duty.
- Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch – Issued the department’s public response.
- NYPD Chief of Transit Joseph Gulotta – Commented on the randomness of the assaults.
- Victims – An 84-year-old male, a 65-year-old male, and a 70-year-old female, all treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Numbers & Injuries
- Victims: Three elderly riders (ages 84, 65, 70).
- Injuries: Significant head and facial lacerations (84-year-old), open skull fracture (65-year-old), shoulder laceration (70-year-old). All expected to recover.
- Commands: Officers ordered Griffin to drop the knife at least 20 times (Commissioner Tisch) and “over two dozen” times (NY Post).
- Shots Fired: Two rounds from Detective Giuffre’s handgun.
Official Statements & Responses
Commissioner Tisch said officers gave “clear commands” and “attempted to de-escalate” before taking “decisive action to stop” the threat and protect commuters. Chief of Transit Gulotta described the assaults as “random acts.” The NYPD’s Force Investigation Division, together with the State Attorney General’s Office of Special Investigations, is conducting a formal review of the shooting.
Conflicting Accounts & Gaps
Sources differ on the age of the first victim—some report 84 years, while others list 85 years. The exact number of verbal commands also varies between “at least 20” and “over two dozen.” No independent eyewitness testimony beyond the body-camera footage has been released, leaving limited public insight into Griffin’s mental state at the moment of the encounter.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Nobody wants to hurt you.” — Detective Ryan Giuffre
- “I am Lucifer” — Anthony Griffin
- “Drop the f—–g knife. Drop the f—–g knife. Nobody wants to shoot you. Drop the f—–g knife,” — Detective Ryan Giuffre
- “We're going to get you help.” — Detective Ryan Giuffre
- “These appear to be random acts,” — Joseph Gulotta, NYPD Chief of Transit
- “Our officers were confronted with an armed individual who had already injured multiple people and was continuing to pose a threat,” — Jessica Tisch, Police Commissioner
What’s Next
The Force Investigation Division will release its findings, and the State Attorney General’s Office will complete its parallel review. The NYPD has indicated that lessons learned will inform future protocols for handling armed individuals in transit hubs.
