A man accused of a triple stabbing on a Grand Central Station subway platform was acting in self defense, the man's lawyer said.

Ivan DeLeon is accused of stabbing three men early Saturday morning at one of New York City's busiest public transportation terminals, Fox News reported.

Alan Abramson, DeLeon's defense attorney, said that DeLeon "had to fight for his life" to protect himself from being "viciously beaten by a group of men." Abramson also says that DeLeon was left with bruises on his face from the encounter.

Authorities say differently, claiming that the violence started when DeLeon bumped into a child on the subway platform. That child was with a group of adults, at whom DeLeon swore before threatening them and pulling out a knife.

According to the New York Daily News, DeLeon was intoxicated when he got off a north-bound 6 train around 12:15 a.m. and bumped into the child. He then is reported to have said, "Get the f*** out of the way, or I'll kill your kids."

"The defendant is involved in viciously stabbing three victims in close proximity," Assistant District Attorney Jesse Matthews said. Witnesses alerted nearby transit cops, who arrested Deleon without incident.

He stabbed three men, one of whom was stabbed in the stomach and was critically wounded. The other two were slashed in the chest and arm. All three were taken to Bellevue Hospital Center and are expected to recover. The child who was bumped was unharmed.

DeLeon also was taken to Bellevue because he was too drunk to be interviewed. Once the man sobered up, he was charged with the stabbings. He was being held on $200,000 bond. Police say DeLeon didn't know any of the victims prior to the altercation.