NEW YORK (AP) \u2014 A man with a machete who attacked three people randomly at a major New York City subway station Saturday morning was shot and killed by police, authorities said.<\/p>\n
Officers responding to a 9:40 a.m. emergency call of an assault at the 42nd Street-Grand Central station encountered the man. He was behaving erratically, claiming he was “Lucifer,” Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at an afternoon news conference. Tisch said he was ordered to drop his weapon 20 times but refused to comply.<\/p>\n
She said ultimately an officer shot him twice when he advanced toward the officers with the knife extended.<\/p>\n
“Our officers were confronted with an armed individual who had already injured multiple people and was continuing to pose a threat,” Tisch said. “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.”<\/p>\n
Tisch identified the suspect as Anthony Griffin, 44, and said he had three prior unsealed arrests. He was pronounced dead at Bellevue Hospital.<\/p>\n