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Central Park West stabbings
A man accused of stabbing two people near Manhattan’s Central Park on Thursday reportedly yelled “Allahu Akbar” during the attacks, police said.
“The NYPD is looking into the attacks as potential hate crimes based on witness statements UPPER WEST SIDE, Manhattan (WABC) -- A suspect was arrested after two men were stabbed near Central Park on the Upper West Side on Thursday afternoon, an attack police are now looking into as a potential hate crime”
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the stabbings on the Upper West Side occurred at around 1:31 p.m., and that both victims, adult men, were stable at a hospital and expected to survive.
NBC News reported that Raul Morales, 51, was arrested, and Tisch said detectives were continuing to work the case and determine motive.
Tisch said the NYPD was evaluating whether the reported yelling made the stabbings a potential hate crime, and she said one victim is Asian and the other is Jewish.
Barricade, arrest, and quotes
CBS News said the suspect was taken into custody after a double stabbing on the Upper West Side, with the first victim found at West 84th Street and Central Park West and the second victim found at West 86th Street and Amsterdam Avenue.
CBS News reported that Tisch said a good Samaritan led officers to the apartment where the suspect was hiding, and that the NYPD Emergency Service Unit was called and negotiated with the suspect.
In a statement on X, Tisch said, “Detectives are continuing to work the case and determine motive, but according to victim and witness statements, Morales yelled ‘Allahu Akbar’ during both attacks,” and she said the NYPD was evaluating whether the stabbings were a potential hate crime.
Fox News quoted New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin saying, “I am absolutely sickened and furious by what appears to be an antisemitic stabbing on the Upper West Side,” as officials evaluated whether the attacks should be classified as a hate crime.
Motive, mental health, and scrutiny
Multiple outlets said police were still determining motive, with the initial investigation suggesting mental health may have been a factor even though Tisch said Morales does not have a known mental health history with the NYPD.
“Two men were stabbed on the Upper West Side on Thursday afternoon, and police took a person of interest into custody”
NBC News said Tisch told reporters that “the initial investigation suggests that mental health may have been a factor,” and that there was no evidence Wednesday that either victim knew each other or Morales.
CNN reported that Tisch said, “At this time there is no known link between Morales and either of the victims, nor between the victims and each other,” while also saying police were evaluating whether the attacks were potential hate crimes.
Fox News added that Tisch said investigators were evaluating whether the reported attacks should be classified as a hate crime, and it described the stabbings as an apparent “antisemitic” attack as officials weighed the evidence.
