Two Men Stabbed on Manhattan’s Upper West Side in Attacks Under Investigation as Possible Hate Crime

Witnesses to a pair of stabbing incidents on Manhattan’s Upper West Side on Thursday afternoon described harrowing scenes as New York City police launched an investigation into whether the attacks were motivated by bias. The suspect, identified as 51-year-old Raul Morales, allegedly perpetrated the separate assaults near one another, with one victim being Jewish and the other Asian, authorities said.

According to law enforcement, Morales is accused of shouting “Allahu Akbar” during the attacks. Police are examining whether the incidents represent hate crimes and said there was no apparent connection between the suspect and either victim or between the two victims themselves. Both men were hospitalized in stable condition.

One eyewitness described the moment she discovered one of the stabbing victims, saying the scene constituted “the scariest thing” she had ever witnessed. The victim was on his knees with a knife protruding from his body when building employees quickly mobilized to seek emergency assistance, the witness recounted to Fox 5 New York.

A woman acquainted with one victim relayed accounts from direct witnesses who reported Morales used a screwdriver rather than a knife and struck the man directly in the chest. After inflicting the wound, the suspect allegedly suggested bystanders contact emergency services, the woman, Nava Silton, told the outlet.

Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch indicated that while Morales has no documented mental health history with the NYPD, preliminary findings suggest psychological factors may have contributed to the attacks. City officials including Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Governor Kathy Hochul condemned the violence, with Hochul stating the attacks appeared to target individuals based on their religion.