Raul Morales was arrested after stabbing an Asian man and a Jewish man near Manhattan’s Central Park on Thursday.
Raul Morales was arrested after stabbing two men near Central Park on the Upper West Side on Thursday afternoon. The 51-year-old suspect reportedly yelled “Allahu Akbar” during both attacks, which occurred approximately two blocks apart. The victims, identified as Chok Sung and Moshe Yezhak Grunhaus, are both expected to survive after being transported to a hospital. The New York City Police Department is currently evaluating whether the incidents constitute potential hate crimes. While Morales has no significant criminal history, officials noted that mental health may have been a factor in the stabbings. There was no evidence that the victims knew each other or the suspect prior to the events. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani condemned the "despicable" attacks, while New York Attorney General Letitia James noted the recent increase in antisemitic and anti-Asian acts in the city. The stabbings occurred on Tisha B’av, a Jewish day of mourning.