The partner of Anthony Griffin, the man shot dead by police after a machete attack in New York's Grand Central Station, has said he had been “fighting demons for a while.” Griffin, 44, reportedly referred to himself as “Lucifer” as he attacked three people in the busy transport hub on Saturday morning.
“He was going through a lot mentally. He most likely was fighting demons for a while,” Fatima Brown, Griffin’s partner, told News 12. “Whatever happened...It wasn't him. Physically? Maybe. Spiritually? No.” Deborah Brown, a long-time friend, added: “I've never seen him be violent or hurt anybody.”
Police responded to an emergency call around 9:40 a.m. and confronted Griffin, who was holding a machete. Commissioner Jessica Tisch said he was told to drop the weapon 20 times. When he did not, an officer fired two shots, striking him. Mayor Zohran Mamdani later confirmed his death.
The three victims – an 84-year-old man, a 65-year-old man and a 70-year-old woman – sustained non-life-threatening injuries. One man had “significant lacerations to the head and face”, another had similar injuries and an open skull fracture, and the third had a laceration to the shoulder.
Friends have called for the release of body-worn camera footage of the incident. Shamosi Bey, a long-time friend, said: “All he was doing was walking around with his machete, which he has the right to, because everyone has the right to bear arms.” New York Governor Kathy Hochul said she was “grateful to our brave officers who acted quickly to stop the suspect.”
