Police shoot dead attacker after three stabbed at New York Grand Central Terminal

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: A violent knife rampage inside New York City's Grand Central Terminal ended in gunfire Saturday, April 11, morning after police shot and killed a suspect who had already wounded multiple commuters.

The attack unfolded rapidly during peak transit hours, turning one of the city’s busiest hubs into a scene of fear and chaos.

Attacker targets multiple commuters

Authorities say 44-year-old Anthony Griffen entered the terminal from Queens before launching a series of unprovoked attacks.

Within minutes, he allegedly stabbed an elderly man on one platform, then moved through the station targeting others.

Two more people were slashed in separate incidents as commuters scrambled for safety.

According to the New York Police Department, the randomness of the attacks made the situation especially dangerous in the crowded underground space.

The attack might have continued if not for a quick break, two nearby detectives encountered an injured victim exiting the platform, leading them straight to the suspect.

When officers confronted Griffen, he still held the knife and refused repeated commands to drop it, simultaneously referring to himself as 'lucifer.'

The officers reportedly issued multiple warnings, but the suspect instead advanced toward them, forcing a split-second decision.

A detective opened fire, striking Griffen twice and ending the threat on the spot.

Victims sustain critical injuries

Despite the brutality of the attack, all three victims are reportedly stable.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani credited the swift police response with preventing further bloodshed.

"I’m grateful to the NYPD for their quick response and for preventing additional violence. The three victims were taken to the hospital and are thankfully in stable condition. The NYPD is conducting an internal investigation and will release body-worn camera footage, as it does in all incidents involving the discharge of an officer's firearm," Mamdani wrote on X.

Investigators say there is no sign of organised crime, though they confirmed the suspect had at least three prior encounters with law enforcement.

An internal review into the shooting is now underway, with bodycam footage expected to be released as part of standard procedure.