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Suspect Armed with 2 Knives Charges and Stabs N.Y. Police Officer
Executive Summary
A review of the provided materials finds substantial and consistent evidence that, in July 2025 in Amherst, New York, a suspect armed with knives charged and stabbed an Amherst police officer and was subsequently shot by officers; the suspect, Rayquell M. Grant, was arraigned on serious charges and the district attorney cleared the officers (July 18–21, 2025) [1] [2]. Secondary reports show related but distinct New York incidents involving suspects with two knives and officer injuries in other years and boroughs, underlining that the core Amherst claim is strongly supported while some sources lack precise knife-count details or conflate different incidents [3] [4] [5].
1. Clear central claim: a violent Amherst confrontation that matches the statement and why it matters
Multiple July 2025 law-enforcement accounts report that Amherst officers responding to a domestic violence call encountered Rayquell M. Grant, who charged at officers armed with knives, stabbed Officer Aidan Vangelov, and was then shot by responding officers; video and charging documents were cited in these reports (July 18–21, 2025) [1] [2]. The reporting consistently notes that Vangelov suffered stab wounds to his arm, that officers fired on Grant after the attack, and that Grant was arraigned on first-degree attempted murder and other counts while hospitalized; the Erie County District Attorney later cleared the officers, calling their actions justified [1] [2]. These specifics collectively substantiate the core claim that an officer was stabbed during an encounter with a suspect wielding knives and that the suspect was charged.
2. Supporting documentation and video: how eyewitness and official records back the account
Sources point to body-worn camera footage that reportedly captures the stabbing and the subsequent use of lethal force; these recorded visuals are repeatedly cited in the July 2025 coverage as central evidence used by prosecutors and investigators [1]. News summaries describe a sequence in which officers used a Taser, attempted to de-escalate, and then shot after the stabbing occurred, with Grant being struck by multiple rounds and then receiving medical care before arraignment; such procedural detail appears across multiple reports, strengthening the factual chain of events [2] [1]. The presence of official medical treatment, arraignment records, and DA statements are additional corroborating elements mentioned in the sources.
3. Discrepancies and gaps: where sources diverge and what remains unverified
Not every source specifies the exact number of knives involved: one local report confirms the stabbing and charges but does not explicitly state “two knives,” creating a minor gap between the original statement and some reportage [3]. Another divergence involves historical context: one source recounts a separate 2022 Brooklyn incident involving a 16-inch knife and an NYPD officer being stabbed and a suspect shot, which is a distinct event yet similar in weapon detail and tactics [4]. These differences show that while the Amherst episode’s broad facts are clear, small details like the precise number or lengths of knives are not uniformly reported across all cited items, requiring caution when asserting knife count as definitive from every cited piece.
4. Alternative incidents and why conflation risks misstatement
The compiled materials include other New York cases where suspects had two knives or multiple-blade attacks and officers were injured (a 2022 Brooklyn shooting and earlier Manhattan incidents cited), and one Manhattan case from late 2024–2025 involving knives found after a mass-stabbing investigation; these items illustrate that knife attacks on officers have occurred in multiple, unrelated NY jurisdictions, and media synopses can blur them together if dates and locales are not checked carefully [4] [5] [6]. Because some sources summarize similar elements—two knives, officer stab wounds, shots fired—readers and reporters can inadvertently conflate separate events, so distinguishing Amherst (July 2025) from earlier borough episodes is essential for accuracy.
5. Legal aftermath and investigative posture: charges, clearances, and outstanding review points
The Amherst case led to arraignment on first-degree attempted murder and related charges for Rayquell M. Grant, with official statements and prosecutorial decisions publicly noted and the officers involved subsequently cleared by the Erie County DA as justified in their use of deadly force (July 18–21, 2025) [1] [2]. Bodies of evidence mentioned in reports include body-camera footage and medical records for the wounded officer; however, ongoing procedural reviews, internal department inquiries, and any civil actions are not exhaustively documented in the provided materials, leaving open questions about later administrative findings or appeals. The combination of criminal charges against the suspect and prosecutorial clearance of officers frames the incident as legally resolved at the charging and DA review stage, while administrative and civil dimensions may persist beyond the cited coverage [1] [2].
Conclusion: The assertion that a suspect armed with knives charged and stabbed a New York police officer is well-supported for the July 2025 Amherst incident, including stabbing, shooting, charges, and DA clearance; discrepancies in reporting mainly concern knife-count precision and the risk of conflating this event with other, earlier New York knife attacks. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]