New York City authorities are investigating a pair of stabbings on Manhattan's Upper West Side as a possible hate crime. The suspect, identified as 51-year-old Raul Morales, is accused of yelling "Allahu Akbar" while stabbing two men on Thursday afternoon.
Both victims were taken to a hospital in stable condition. Police said there was no known connection between the suspect and either victim, or between the victims themselves. Officials are looking into whether a knife or screwdriver was used in the attacks.
Witnesses described the scene as harrowing. One individual recounted seeing a knife protruding from one of the victims, calling it "the scariest thing I've ever seen." Another witness stated that the assailant allegedly used a screwdriver to stab one victim in the chest before walking away and suggesting someone call 911.
The NYPD is considering mental health as a potential factor in the incident, despite the perpetrator having no known mental health history with the department, according to Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
City officials, including Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul, have condemned the attacks. Mamdani stated that "hateful and despicable attacks have no place in our city." Hochul expressed disgust, calling it "another senseless attack on New Yorkers simply because they’re Jewish" and vowing that "New York will stand with our Jewish community today, tomorrow, and always."