Suspect in custody after attacks on Asian, Jewish men
New York police arrested Raul Morales, 51, on Thursday after two men were stabbed in separate attacks on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, and the incidents are being evaluated as possible hate crimes, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.
The stabbings occurred around 1:30 p.m. near Central Park, in two locations a few blocks apart, according to the New York Police Department. One victim is a 57-year-old Asian man and the other is a 50-year-old Jewish man, police said. Both are expected to survive, Tisch said.
According to victim and witness statements, the suspect yelled “Allahu akbar,” an Arabic phrase meaning “God is greater,” during both attacks, Tisch said.
Tisch said Morales has no known mental health history with police. However, she said, “the initial investigation suggests that mental health may have been a factor.”
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he was briefed on the stabbings. “These hateful and despicable attacks have no place in our city,” he said.