A suspect was arrested after two men were stabbed near Central Park on the Upper West Side of New York City on Thursday afternoon. The first stabbing occurred around 1:30 p.m. at West 84th Street and Central Park West, where a 57-year-old Asian man was stabbed in the torso. The second stabbing took place near 86th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, where a 50-year-old Jewish man was attacked. Both victims were taken to Mt. Sinai-St. Luke's Hospital and are now in stable condition.
Police have taken 51-year-old Raul Morales into custody at an apartment building near the second stabbing scene. Morales has not been charged yet but is being interviewed by detectives. Authorities are investigating whether the suspect used a blade and a screwdriver in the attack. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated that detectives are working to determine a motive, noting that Morales reportedly yelled 'Allahu Akbar' during both attacks. The department is evaluating whether this constitutes a hate crime.
Commissioner Tisch also mentioned that Morales has no known mental health history with the NYPD, but initial investigations suggest mental health may have been a factor. There is no known link between Morales and either of the victims, nor between the victims and each other. Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Council Speaker Julie Menin have condemned the attacks, calling them hateful and despicable.