Man Arrested After Stabbing Two Men on Manhattan's Upper West Side

Raul Morales, 51, was arrested Thursday after stabbing a Jewish man and an Asian man in separate attacks on Manhattan's Upper West Side near Central Park. Witnesses reported that Morales yelled the Arabic phrase "Allahu Akbar" during both assaults, which occurred about two blocks apart in broad daylight. The first victim, a 57-year-old Asian man, was stabbed near West 84th Street and Central Park West around 1:30 p.m. The second victim, a 50-year-old Jewish man, was stabbed near West 86th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, close to a synagogue. Both victims were taken to Mt. Sinai-St. Luke's Hospital and were expected to survive, with the second victim initially listed in critical condition before stabilizing.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said investigators were working to determine a motive, noting that while Morales had no known mental health history with the police department, initial investigation suggested mental health may have played a factor in the attacks. Tisch also stated there was no known link between Morales and either victim or between the victims themselves. Police believed Morales used a blade and a screwdriver in the attacks. On Friday, Morales was arrested on attempted murder and hate crime charges relating to the Jewish victim, though police provided no immediate comment on why hate crime charges were not applied to the assault on the Asian victim. Morales awaited arraignment with prosecutors to decide final charges.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani called the attacks "horrifying" and stated that "these hateful and despicable attacks have no place in our city." Governor Kathy Hochul said she was disgusted by the attacks and emphasized that New York stands with its Jewish and Asian communities. Council Speaker Julie Menin stated she was "absolutely sickened and furious" by what appeared to be an antisemitic stabbing. City Comptroller Mark Levine noted that Jewish New Yorkers were "undeniably being disproportionately targeted, again and again and again." The Asian American Foundation said the attacks "underscore the persistent safety challenges" facing Asian Americans in the city and called for continued investment in community safety.

The attacks occurred on an annual day of mourning for the Jewish faith, adding to concerns about rising hate crimes in New York City. According to police data cited by Commissioner Tisch, hate crimes in the city have been on the rise in recent years, while overall violent crime rates have dropped. In April, Tisch stated that more than half of all confirmed hate crimes in the city so far that year had targeted Jewish people. Morales had a minimal criminal history, with drug arrests from 1991 and a handful of other sealed arrests.