A 51-year-old man accused of separate stabbing attacks on Manhattan's Upper West Side yelled "Allahu Akbar" multiple times during the alleged hate-filled rampage, prosecutors revealed Friday in court. Raul Morales was ordered held without bail.
During his arraignment, Morales, who is accused of stabbing a Jewish man wearing a kippah and another man of Asian descent, mouthed "I love you, mom" to the gallery. His mother, present in the courtroom, covered her face and wept as her son was taken away.
According to Assistant District Attorney Megan Joy, Morales first approached a victim from behind near Central Park, shouting "Allahu Akbar" before allegedly plunging a knife into the individual's back without provocation. The suspect then reportedly walked to a nearby synagogue, shouting "justice for Islam and Allahu Akbar," before confronting a second victim four blocks away.
Prosecutors stated Morales allegedly used a screwdriver to stab the second victim in the chest. The victim was identified as a Jewish man wearing a kippah.
Morales fled the scene on foot but was apprehended by police at his nearby apartment less than an hour later, where he surrendered. He faces charges including two counts of attempted murder, two counts of assault, and one count of attempted assault, all of which are being prosecuted as hate crimes.