NEW YORK – Recently, New York City police shared body-worn camera footage showing the tense moments when officers confronted a man armed with a machete. This incident occurred last month at the Grand Central subway stop, where the man, Anthony Griffin, had already attacked three people.
In the video, which was posted on the NYPD’s YouTube channel, officers identified as detectives Ryan Giuffre and Anthony Manetta encountered Griffin at around 9:40 a.m. on April 11. At that time, Griffin was spotted walking up a stairwell with a large knife, having just slashed three individuals at the busy subway station.
The detectives shouted multiple commands for Griffin to drop the weapon. Despite their efforts to de-escalate the situation, Griffin continued to hold the knife above his head. In one moment captured on camera, Detective Giuffre urged him, saying, “Nobody wants to hurt you. We can talk about it. Get down. Get down. Dude, I’m not going to ask you again. Please. Please. Please. Get down!”
Instead of complying, Griffin became increasingly agitated, moving toward the officers with the knife raised. He even shouted, “I don’t want to be here. Shoot me,” and claimed, “I am Lucifer.”
At that point, fearing for their safety and that of the public, Detective Giuffre fired two shots at Griffin, who then fell to the ground. He was quickly transported to a local hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch later commented on the incident, noting that the officers had ordered Griffin to drop the knife at least 20 times before taking action. “Our officers were confronted with an armed individual who had already injured multiple people and was continuing to pose a threat,” she explained. “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.”
The three victims of Griffin’s earlier attacks included an 84-year-old man, a 65-year-old man, and a 70-year-old woman. They sustained serious injuries, such as significant lacerations and a skull fracture, but fortunately, their wounds were not life-threatening, according to Commissioner Tisch.
