Man Stabs Two In New York City While Allegedly Yelling ‘Allahu Akbar’

Police arrested a suspect Thursday after two men were stabbed in separate attacks on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, with the NYPD investigating the incidents as a possible hate crime.

According to authorities, the first attack occurred shortly before 1:30 p.m. near West 84th Street and Central Park West, where a 57-year-old man was stabbed in the torso. A second victim, a 50-year-old man, was attacked minutes later near West 86th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, close to both a church and a synagogue.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the victims, an Asian man and a Jewish man, were transported to Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital. One of the men was initially listed in critical condition, though Tisch later said both are expected to survive.

Police identified the suspect as 51-year-old Raul Morales, who was taken into custody at an apartment building a few blocks from the second stabbing scene. Morales had not been charged as of Thursday afternoon and remained under questioning by detectives.

Investigators are also working to determine whether Morales used both a blade and a screwdriver during the attacks.

While officials said the investigation remains in its early stages, Tisch said witness and victim accounts indicate that “Morales yelled ‘Allahu Akbar’ during both attacks,” prompting detectives to evaluate “whether this is a potential hate crime.”

“While the perpetrator has no known mental health history with the NYPD, the initial investigation suggests that mental health may have been a factor,” Tisch said. “At this time, there is no known link between Morales and either of the victims, nor between the victims and each other.”

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he had been briefed on the attacks and condemned the violence.

“These hateful and despicable attacks have no place in our city,” the mayor said.

Watch a clip of police activity in the area above via CNN.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!