Man arrested after two stabbings on Upper West Side, motive under review

Police said a 51-year-old man was taken into custody on Thursday after two separate stabbings on Manhattan's Upper West Side. The first victim, a 57-year-old Asian man, was attacked around 1:30 p.m. near West 84th Street and Central Park West. A second victim, a 50-year-old Jewish man, was stabbed a short time later at the corner of 86th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, where investigators also recovered a screwdriver believed to have been used.

Both victims were treated at nearby hospitals and are expected to survive. After the attacks, the suspect barricaded himself inside an apartment building on Amsterdam Avenue. The NYPD's Emergency Service Unit negotiated with him and arrested him at approximately 2:45 p.m.

"Detectives are continuing to work the case and determine motive, but according to victim and witness statements, Morales yelled 'Allahu Akbar' during both attacks. The NYPD is currently evaluating whether this is a potential hate crime. While the perpetrator has no known mental health history with the NYPD, the initial investigation suggests that mental health may have been a factor," NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said in a social-media post.

Police identified the suspect as Raul Morales and noted he has seven prior arrests, including at least two drug-related offenses. They said there is no known connection between Morales and the victims.

Local officials expressed concern. State Assemblyman Micah Lasher said constituents were upset and worried, while Mayor Zohran Mamdani, briefed on the case, said he was relieved the victims were in stable condition and thanked officers for their response. He added that "these hateful and despicable attacks have no place in our city."