NYPD Arrests Raul Morales After Two Stabbings on Manhattan Upper West Side
Suspect Arrested After Upper West Side Stabbings
A suspect identified as 51-year-old Raul Morales was arrested after two men were stabbed in separate attacks on Manhattan's Upper West Side on Thursday afternoon, with witnesses reporting the assailant yelled "Allahu Akbar" during both incidents. [3] The first attack happened shortly after 1:30 p.m. near West 84th Street and Central Park West. [3] A short time later, officers found the second victim about two blocks away near West 86th Street and Amsterdam Avenue. [3] Police identified Morales as the only suspect in the case, and investigators have not found any known connection between him and either of the two victims. [3] After the attacks, Morales barricaded himself inside an apartment building near Amsterdam Avenue and West 88th Street. [3] The NYPD Emergency Service Unit arrested him after a brief standoff. [3] Commissioner Jessica Tisch thanked both officers and a member of the public who helped locate the suspect, stating that a good Samaritan led officers to the location where the perpetrator was hiding. [3]
Victim Injuries and Hospital Treatment
The first victim, a 57-year-old man, was stabbed in the back near West 84th Street and Central Park West just after 1:30 p.m. and taken to Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital in stable condition. [1] A second victim, a 50-year-old man, was found nearby with a puncture wound to the torso near West 86th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, also in stable condition after being transported to the same hospital. [1] Both victims were conscious and alert when found by officers. [4] The second man's injury was caused by a screwdriver, according to reports cited by authorities. [3] Both men were taken to Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital, where they remained in stable condition. [3]
Investigation Focuses on Possible Hate Crime
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said victim and witness statements indicated Morales shouted "Allahu Akbar" in both attacks. [3] Detectives are investigating whether the case meets the legal standard for a hate crime, though no motive has been confirmed. [3] The NYPD has no known mental health history involving Morales, though the initial investigation suggests mental health may have been a factor. [3] City officials described the violence as an antisemitic stabbing, though police have not yet identified a motive or said whether the attacks are being investigated as a hate crime. [4] The Hate Crimes Task Force is continuing to evaluate the case while the investigation remains ongoing. [3]
Official Condemnations and Mayor's Response
New York Governor Kathy Hochul, City Council Speaker Julie Menin and other officials condemned the attacks as antisemitic and expressed concern over fear in the Jewish community. [1] Hochul posted that she was disgusted by what appears to be another senseless attack on New Yorkers simply because they are Jewish, adding that the fear in the Jewish community is real and every New Yorker deserves to feel safe regardless of faith or identity. [1] Menin wrote that she was absolutely sickened and furious by what appears to be an antisemitic stabbing on the Upper West Side, noting that the fear in the Jewish community is real and that every New Yorker deserves to feel safe in their neighborhood. [4] New York Assembly member Micah Lasher said he was in touch with the NYPD and community leaders about the stabbing of two individuals. [4] Mayor Zohran Mamdani issued a statement more than two hours later after first posting about a housing tax plan. [1] Mamdani wrote that he had been briefed on the horrifying stabbings where an Asian man and a Jewish man were attacked, that the perpetrator yelled "Allahu Akbar" during both attacks according to statements, and that both victims were in stable condition. [1] He added that the NYPD responded immediately and arrested Raul Morales, and he was grateful to the officers for their swift response. [1] Councilwoman Inna Vernikov wrote that according to credible reports the attacker was yelling "Allahu Akbar" during his attempted murder and told Mamdani he had blood on his hands. [1]
Context of Rising Hate Crime Complaints
In the first quarter of 2026, the New York Police Department has received 146 hate crime complaints and made 71 arrests, according to police data, an uptick from 137 complaints and 51 arrests in the first quarter of 2025. [1]
What to watch next: Detectives will continue examining all available evidence, including victim and witness statements, as they assess whether the case meets the legal standard for a hate crime.
