Bronx-born battle rapper Anthony Griffin, known in battle rap circles as Fox 5, was shot dead by police after refusing to drop the machete he allegedly used to slash three elderly strangers in a subway station in Grand Central Terminal. The death of Griffin's mother, who was his mother, had a profound impact on him after she died in 2021 and left him without a home and forced him to enter the city's shelter system. Despite not being formally diagnosed with a mental illness, Griffin's family reported that in recent years he seemed depressed and struggling with alcohol abuse and insomnia. He had been binge drinking for days without sleeping while mourning his mother's death. The violent attack marked a final chapter in Griffin's downward spiral after his mother’s death in 2021. Despite his violent nature, friends and family described him as a peaceful man known for his love of God and devotion to God.