NYPD Evaluating Possible Hate Crime After Upper West Side Stabbings
Qwenews.com – The NYPD evaluating possible hate crime situation has emerged after two men were stabbed in an unprovoked attack Thursday afternoon on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch announced that investigators are examining whether the brutal assaults were motivated by hatred, particularly given that one victim was an Asian man and the other was a Jewish man. According to witness accounts and victim statements, the attacker yelled “Allahu Akbar” during both incidents, prompting officials to consider hate crime charges as they piece together what happened in broad daylight.
Details of the Attack and Victims
The suspect, identified as 51-year-old Raul Morales, remains in custody while police continue their investigation into the possible motive behind the stabbings. CNN is working to determine more about the incident as it unfolds. Both victims — ages 57 and 50 — were stabbed “throughout” their bodies during the violent encounter, according to the NYPD. The attack was unprovoked, two law enforcement sources confirmed. “At this time there is no known link between Morales and either of the victims, nor between the victims and each other,” Tisch explained to reporters.
Police received a 911 call just after 1:30 pm and found the first victim conscious and alert with a stab wound to his back, according to a law enforcement official. The other victim was stabbed in the chest, according to a source. One stabbing took place at West 84th Street and Central Park West, and the other happened just blocks away near West 86th Street and Central Park West. Both men were transferred to Mount Sinai Morningside in stable condition and are expected to survive their injuries.
“He’s a respected person in the neighborhood, minding his own business, just going to pray,” said Michael Jacobs, a Shomrim volunteer, noting the attack occurred on Tisha B’Av, a Jewish day of mourning and fasting.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani confirmed in a post on X he had been briefed on the “horrifying stabbings” and that police are actively investigating the motive of the attacks. “These hateful and despicable attacks have no place in our city,” Mamdani wrote, adding that he is relieved both victims are in stable condition. Marianna Ellenberg, a witness, said she saw “a man kneeling on the street with a knife just sticking out of his back, like a movie.” “I’ve been robbed myself, but to actually see just the knife sticking out, it’s just like that kind of cruel violence at 2 p.m. (in) the afternoon in bright sunlight,” she added. “It just kind of reminds you this idea of your safety zone, like nothing is safe.”
Volunteers with the Jewish civilian neighborhood watch group Shomrim said they responded to a call to their hotline and arrived to the scene after one of the stabbings. The victim they saw was wearing a yarmulke, the skullcap traditionally worn by many Jewish men, and was either on his way to or returning from synagogue, Shomrim volunteer Michael Jacobs told CNN. Jacobs said volunteers saw the suspect flee and credited officers with a rapid response that led to an arrest. “The police response was very, very quick, which was massively helpful in order to be able to catch him,” he said.
As the NYPD evaluating possible hate crime investigation continues, officials have not ruled out any potential motives. The initial investigation suggests mental health may have been a factor in the stabbings, Tisch said, though the hate crime angle remains under active consideration. Community members are expressing shock and sadness over the random violence that struck their neighborhood on what was otherwise a typical summer afternoon. This story has been updated with additional information. CNN’s John Miller, Alaa Elassar and Bonney Kapp contributed to this report.
