NYPD Commissioner Says Motive Unclear After Man Stabs People While Shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’
A 51-year-old man is in custody after he allegedly stabbed two people Thursday on New York’s Upper West Side, according to police.
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Raul Morales was arrested in connection with the incident, according to a Thursday statement shared on X by New York Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Jessica Tisch. He allegedly stabbed an Asian male and a Jewish male in two separate attacks.
One victim was found near Amsterdam Avenue and West 86th Street, while the other victim was found near West 84th Street and Central Park West, according to FOX 5 New York. Witnesses allege that the suspect shouted “Allahu Akbar” before the incident, Tisch said.
Both victims were transported to a local hospital and are expected to survive. There is no link between the suspect and the two victims or between either of the victims. The suspect was arrested at 89th Street and Amsterdam Avenue thanks to the help of a Good Samaritan, police said.
The NYPD is investigating and believes mental health may have played a role in the incident. They are also determining whether the incident is a hate crime. (RELATED: New Poll Suggests Jewish Americans Feel Isolated As Antisemitism Grows)
Democratic New York Assemblyman Micah Lasher was at the scene of the incident and said the Jewish victim was wearing a kippah, the Times of Israel reported. The incident occurred on Tisha B’av, the Jewish day of mourning, which is marked by prayer and fasting, according to the outlet. Tisha B’av was observed from sunset on July 22 to nightfall on July 23 this year, according to Chabad.org.
The Manhattan Shomrim neighborhood watch group said the suspect allegedly committed the stabbing using a screwdriver, according to the Times of Israel.
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Democratic New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin reacted to the incident, labeling it as antisemitic.
“The fear in the Jewish community is real. Every New Yorker deserves to feel safe in their neighborhood, regardless of their faith or identity,” Menin said, according to the Times of Israel.
A spokesperson for the NYPD’s Deputy Commissioner of Public Information (DCPI) confirmed the attack in an email to the Daily Caller.
The spokesperson said police responded to a 911 call regarding the incident and observed the first victim, a 57-year-old male, with a stab wound to the back, before discovering a second victim, a 50-year-old male, with a stab wound to the chest.
The investigation is ongoing, according to the same spokesperson.
A total of 178 confirmed antisemitic hate crimes have occurred in New York in 2026, the Times of Israel reported on July 2, citing Tisch.
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