Raul Morales faces hate crime charges after stabbing a Jewish man and an Asian man on Manhattan's Upper West Side.
Raul Morales was charged with hate crimes on Friday following a pair of stabbing attacks on the Upper West Side. The 51-year-old suspect attacked Moshe Grunhaus, a Jewish man, and Chok Sung, an Asian man, in quick succession on Thursday afternoon. According to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, Morales yelled “Allahu akbar” during both unprovoked attacks, which occurred near West 84th and West 86th Streets. The administration of the city's leadership has seen a mix of reactions to the incidents. Mayor Zohran Mamdani expressed condolences for the victims, though some Jewish officials blamed his recent "war criminal" label for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for fueling local antisemitism. Micah Lasher, a Democratic candidate for Congress, urged the mayor to soften his rhetoric to help lower the political temperature. Attorney General Letitia James noted that while she is not drawing firm conclusions yet, it is critical to acknowledge rising antisemitism, as half of the city's hate crimes this year have targeted Jewish people. Both victims remain in stable condition at Mount Sinai Morningside.