On Wednesday, two people — a Jewish man and an Asian man — were stabbed with a screwdriver in a terrifying series of attacks that took place on New York’s Upper West Side.
Witnesses say that they heard the attacker yell out, “Allahu Akbar” as he carried out the stabbings.
The NYPD immediately arrested the suspect, who has been identified as 51-year-old Raul Morales.
Both victims were hospitalized. Thankfully, they are in stable condition.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch released a statement:
This afternoon, two people were stabbed in separate attacks on the Upper West Side. Both victims — an Asian male and a Jewish male — were removed to Mt. Sinai-St. Luke’s Hospital, and both are expected to survive.
The NYPD has arrested 51-year-old Raul Morales in connection…
— Jessica S. Tisch (@NYPDPC) July 23, 2026
This afternoon, two people were stabbed in separate attacks on the Upper West Side. Both victims — an Asian male and a Jewish male — were removed to Mt. Sinai-St. Luke’s Hospital, and both are expected to survive.
The NYPD has arrested 51-year-old Raul Morales in connection with both assaults, and no other people are being sought. 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.
At this time there is no known link between Morales and either of the victims, nor between the victims and each other.
I want to commend the bravery of a good Samaritan who led our officers to the location where the perpetrator was hiding, as well as our NYPD cops who brought an end to the incident without further injuries.
Here’s some footage from the scene:
🚨 BREAKING: Man stabs two Jewish men on Manhattan’s Upper West Side in what officials and witnesses describe as an antisemitic attack.
Suspect in custody. Victims hospitalized. Reports say the attacker yelled “Allahu Akbar.”
Mamdani rhetoric did this. pic.twitter.com/yyCRwQzLeQ
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) July 23, 2026
While the police have (laughably) not released a clear motive for the attack, the NYPD is investigating the incident as a hate crime.
The New York Times reported further:
The assailant, identified as Raul Morales, attacked the two men in separate incidents on Central Park West and Amsterdam Avenue at around 1:30 p.m., leaving them wounded, the police said. Both were expected to survive.
Mr. Morales first walked up to a 57-year-old man on West 84th and Central Park West and stabbed him in the back with a knife, according to a spokesman for the Police Department. He then went to West 86th Street and Amsterdam, the spokesman said, where he approached another man, this time stabbing him in the torso with a screwdriver.
It was not immediately clear what led to the midday attack in the heart of the Upper West Side, a residential neighborhood with low crime rates. But on Thursday, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said that Mr. Morales had yelled “Allahu akbar” as he attacked both men, according to accounts from the victims and witnesses.
Ms. Tisch said that the department was evaluating whether the stabbings had been intended as hate crimes and that detectives were still investigating Mr. Morales’s motive. While Mr. Morales did not have a history of mental health issues documented with the department, she added, it appeared that his mental state might have played a role in the attacks.
The first victim was identified as a 57-year-old Asian man, Chok Sung, according to a law enforcement official with knowledge of the matter. The second victim was Moshe Yezhak Grunhaus, a 50-year-old Jewish man, the official said.
Both men were taken by emergency medical workers to Mount Sinai Morningside.
Hate crimes in New York City, particularly those targeting Jewish people, have risen in recent years, even as other major crimes have declined. As of the start of July, the number of confirmed hate crimes in 2026 had risen nearly 8 percent to 322 from the same period a year earlier, according to data provided by the Police Department.
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Mayor Zohran Mamdani addressed the stabbings in a statement shared on X:
I have been briefed on today’s horrifying stabbings on the Upper West Side, where an Asian man and a Jewish man were attacked. According to witness and victim statements, the perpetrator yelled “Allahu Akbar” during both attacks. I am relieved that both victims are in stable… https://t.co/0LSGtvPojx
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) July 23, 2026
I have been briefed on today’s horrifying stabbings on the Upper West Side, where an Asian man and a Jewish man were attacked. According to witness and victim statements, the perpetrator yelled “Allahu Akbar” during both attacks. I am relieved that both victims are in stable condition.
The NYPD responded immediately and arrested Raul Morales in connection with both assaults—and I am grateful to the officers for their swift response.
ADVERTISEMENTThe NYPD’s initial investigation suggests that mental health may have been a factor. They are also evaluating these stabbings as potential hate crimes.
These hateful and despicable attacks have no place in our city.
Notice how Mamdani noted in his post that “mental health may have been a factor” right after saying that the attacker yelled out “Allahu Akbar?”
Gee, I wonder what else may have been a factor?..
Islam!
Mayor Mamandi is being blasted over these stabbing attacks in his city — and, for good reason.
Notably, Wednesday’s stabbings came just a day after Mamdani uploaded a video message accusing Israel of genocide and calling Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu a war criminal.
For reference, here’s his video:
Benjamin Netanyahu is a war criminal. pic.twitter.com/YRezmW6YVx
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) July 22, 2026
Is it just a coincidence that a Muslim went out and stabbed two New Yorkers — including a Jewish man — the day after Mamdani spread violent, anti-semitic rhetoric?
Rep. Mace questioned:
At what point does being a terrorist sympathizer classify you as a terrorist also? https://t.co/AV2jkjcnMe
— Rep. Nancy Mace (@RepNancyMace) July 23, 2026
Billionaire Bill Ackman also confronted Mamdani in a post on X:
The New York City mayor’s first responsibility is keeping New York City residents safe.
Less than 24 hours after @NYCMayor Mamdani falsely accused Israel of genocide, his words were successful in inspiring violence against Jews in New York City, as predicted by many.
Mamdani… https://t.co/Ff9XHZKAn2
— Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) July 23, 2026
Full text of Ackman’s post:
The New York City mayor’s first responsibility is keeping New York City residents safe.
Less than 24 hours after @NYCMayor
Mamdani falsely accused Israel of genocide, his words were successful in inspiring violence against Jews in New York City, as predicted by many.Mamdani is highly intelligent. He had to have known that his words were extremely dangerous and would inspire violence, but he spoke them anyway.
Mayor Mamdani, what do you have to say to those that have been harmed because of your words?
What do you have to say to the victims’ families and to Jews in NY who are now afraid to wear symbols of their religious beliefs?
ADVERTISEMENTWhat are you going to do about it?
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