The New York Police Department is investigating two separate stabbings on Manhattan's Upper West Side as possible hate crimes, officials said.
A 51-year-old man, identified as Raul Morales, was arrested Thursday in connection with the attacks, which police said were nonfatal. Witnesses told the police department that Morales yelled the Arabic phrase “Allahu Akbar” during both incidents.
Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated that the department is working to determine a motive. Initial investigations suggest mental health may have been a factor, and there was no immediate known link between Morales and the victims. Morales remained in custody Thursday evening, and it was not immediately clear if he had legal representation.
The stabbings occurred about two blocks apart in broad daylight. Both victims were transported to a hospital and were expected to recover.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani described the attacks as “horrifying” and expressed relief that the victims were in stable condition. "These hateful and despicable attacks have no place in our city," Mamdani posted on the social media platform X.
Hate crimes in New York City have been increasing in recent years, even as overall violent crime rates have decreased, according to police data. Tisch previously noted in April that more than half of confirmed hate crimes in the city this year had targeted Jewish people.
Governor Kathy Hochul condemned the attacks, emphasizing New York's solidarity with its Jewish and Asian communities. "Asian New Yorkers, like Jewish New Yorkers, have endured waves of hate-fueled violence in recent years," Hochul said in a post on X. "Hate rarely stops with one group. New York will continue confronting it wherever it appears."