Two men were stabbed in separate attacks on Manhattan’s Upper West Side on Thursday afternoon in what police are investigating as possible hate crimes. The New York Police Department arrested 51-year-old Raul Morales in connection with both assaults, which occurred in broad daylight near Central Park.
The first attack took place around 1:30 p.m. near West 84th Street and Central Park West, where a 57-year-old Asian man was stabbed in the torso with a knife. Minutes later, two blocks away near West 86th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, a 50-year-old Jewish man was stabbed in the chest with a screwdriver. Both victims remained conscious and alert and were taken to Mount Sinai-St. Luke’s Hospital in stable condition, where they are expected to survive.
According to victim and witness statements, the suspect yelled “Allahu Akbar” during both attacks, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. The attacks were unprovoked, and authorities found no known connection between the suspect and either victim, or between the victims themselves.
A bystander witnessed the suspect fleeing the scene and led police to an apartment building on Amsterdam Avenue between 88th and 89th streets, a couple of blocks from the second stabbing location. Morales had barricaded himself inside an apartment, but the NYPD Emergency Service Unit negotiated his surrender without further incident around 2:45 p.m. He has not yet been charged.
The NYPD is evaluating whether the attacks constitute hate crimes, though investigators are taking a comprehensive approach to determining the motive. While Morales has no known mental health history with the NYPD, the initial investigation suggests that mental health may have been a factor in the violence. Police records show Morales has seven prior arrests, including two for drug-related charges dating back to 1991, though much of his criminal history remains sealed.
The timing of the attacks added to community concern. The stabbings occurred on Tisha B’Av, a Jewish day of mourning and fasting that commemorates tragedies in Jewish history. One victim was stabbed near The Jewish Center, a Modern Orthodox congregation in the neighborhood. The Jewish victim was identified as wearing a kippah and is a member of Congregation Ohab Zedek, another Modern Orthodox synagogue on the Upper West Side.
City leaders quickly responded to the incidents. Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a post on social media that he had been briefed on the “horrifying stabbings” and was relieved both victims were in stable condition. He condemned the violence, saying “These hateful and despicable attacks have no place in our city.” Governor Kathy Hochul posted that she was “disgusted” by what she called “another senseless attack on New Yorkers simply because they’re Jewish.”
City Council Speaker Julie Menin called the incident “an antisemitic stabbing on the Upper West Side” and expressed concern about fear in the Jewish community. New York State Assemblyman Micah Lasher, who represents the area, confirmed that the Jewish victim was a respected neighborhood resident who was heading to prayer services when attacked. He praised the rapid police response that enabled officers to apprehend the suspect quickly.
Volunteers with Shomrim, a Jewish civilian neighborhood watch group, responded to a call about the first stabbing and arrived at the scene. A witness described the harrowing moment of discovering the first victim, saying she saw “a man kneeling on the street with a knife just sticking out of his back.” The witness noted that the violence occurred in broad daylight at around 2 p.m. on a busy afternoon, challenging residents’ sense of safety.
The attacks come amid broader concerns about antisemitic violence in New York City. The NYPD Hate Crimes Dashboard shows that through the first half of 2026, the city recorded 178 confirmed anti-Jewish hate crimes, representing 55.3 percent of all confirmed hate crimes citywide. This occurs despite Jewish residents comprising only about 10 percent of the city’s population. Anti-Jewish incidents significantly outnumber anti-Muslim hate crimes, which police confirmed at 21 incidents during the same period.
The Upper West Side has a substantial Jewish population, and the neighborhood has historically been a hub for Jewish religious and cultural institutions. The area near West 84th Street and Central Park West contains multiple synagogues and Jewish community centers. The attacks have heightened concerns among residents and community leaders about safety in what was previously considered a secure neighborhood.
The Jewish Insider reported that the other victim, the Asian man, was in his late 50s. Both men sustained injuries but neither suffered life-threatening wounds. Police used a knife and a screwdriver as weapons in the dual attacks, according to investigators’ findings.
The NYPD has not yet filed formal charges against Morales as detectives continue their investigation. Authorities said no other suspects are being sought in connection with the incidents. The department will continue to evaluate whether the attacks meet the legal definition of hate crimes as the investigation proceeds.