A friend of the man who fatally clashed with police at Grand Central Terminal claims he was using a machete solely for protection. The incident left three elderly individuals injured.
Deborah Brown, a family friend, expressed skepticism about Anthony Griffin’s ability to commit the crime, despite him acknowledging his mental health struggles and carrying the machete. “If he really did it, I want to see the proof,” she remarked, noting her connection as the mother of Griffin’s longtime partner, during an interview with News12.
The NYPD reported that Griffin attacked three people on subway platforms 4, 5, and 6, around 9:50 a.m. on Saturday. He was subsequently shot dead by police after ignoring commands to drop the machete.
The assailant left an 85-year-old man and a 65-year-old man with serious injuries, and also slashed a 70-year-old woman on her shoulder.
Brown recalled finding out about the incident from her daughter, who was in tears, saying, “Mom! Mom! They killed Fox, Mom!” Griffin was known as a rapper under the name “Fox 5,” as mentioned by neighbors.
She emphasized that this kind of behavior was out of character for Griffin, insisting he never meant to harm anyone. Brown expressed a preference for police using a stun gun instead of lethal force, stating, “They could have subdued him without needing to shoot.”
Yet, she acknowledged that Griffin persisted in keeping a machete for his protection and had been experiencing significant mental health challenges recently.
“I’d like to think something triggered this, but, well, that might not be true,” she added thoughtfully.
