Jewish Man Stabbed in Manhattan by Attacker Yelling ‘Allahu Akbar’

Two men, including a Jewish man wearing a yarmulke who had just left Tisha B'Av services, were stabbed in separate unprovoked attacks on Manhattan's Upper West Side Thursday afternoon.

Two men, including a Jewish man wearing a yarmulke who had just left Tisha B’Av services, were stabbed in separate unprovoked attacks on Manhattan’s Upper West Side Thursday afternoon. Police say the suspect allegedly shouted “Allahu Akbar” during both attacks, and the NYPD is investigating whether the assaults were motivated by hate.

According to the New York Post, the suspect, identified by police as 51-year-old Raul Morales, first allegedly stabbed a 57-year-old Asian man in the back near West 84th Street and Central Park West at approximately 1:30 p.m. Roughly a short time later, a second victim—a 50-year-old Jewish man wearing a yarmulke—was attacked after leaving Tisha B’Av services at a synagogue on Amsterdam Avenue and West 86th Street. Police said he was stabbed in the torso with a screwdriver.

Both victims were transported to Mount Sinai St. Luke’s Hospital and were listed in stable condition.

Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said detectives are continuing to investigate the motive.

“Detectives are continuing to work the case and determine motive, but according to victim and witness statements, Morales yelled ‘Allahu Akbar’ during both attacks,” Tisch said in a statement. “The NYPD is currently evaluating whether this is a potential hate crime.”

Tisch added that “the initial investigation suggests that mental health may have been a factor.”

According to the New York Post, Nava Silton, who had been speaking with the Jewish victim inside the Jewish Center before the attack, said witnesses told her they heard the suspect shout “Allah Akbar” before stabbing the victim.

“The perpetrator tried to act like a normal person and that he wasn’t involved and muttering someone should call 911. Literally pretending he was not culpable,” Silton told the publication.

Silton said the victim told her “someone drove a screwdriver into the right side of his chest and yelled something,” though he did not hear exactly what was said. She added that he remained conscious following the attack.

Members of Manhattan Shomrim responded to the scene after receiving emergency calls.

“The second victim was fully identifiable as Jewish,” Manhattan Shomrim member Michael Jacobs told the New York Post.

“He was fully identifiable as Jewish. He was wearing a skull cap, a yarmulke, a kippah, and he lives here in the neighborhood. He’s known in the neighborhood. He’s a respected person in the neighborhood. Minding his own business, just going to pray.”

The suspect was arrested around 2:45 p.m. after allegedly barricading himself inside a nearby NYCHA apartment on Amsterdam Avenue. Police recovered both a knife and a screwdriver following the arrest.

“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,” Tisch said.

Public officials strongly condemned the attacks.

Gov. Kathy Hochul wrote that she was “disgusted by what appears to be another senseless attack on New Yorkers simply because they’re Jewish.”

“The strength of New York has always been our ability to live together across every faith and background,” Hochul said. “Anyone who tries to tear that apart will be met with the full force of the law. New York will stand with our Jewish community today, tomorrow, and always.”

City Council Speaker Julie Menin said she was “absolutely sickened and furious by what appears to be an antisemitic stabbing,” adding that “the fear in the Jewish community is real.”

Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he had been briefed on the “horrifying stabbings” and noted that, according to witness and victim statements, the suspect yelled “Allahu Akbar” during both attacks. He also said the NYPD is evaluating the incidents as potential hate crimes.

According to the New York Post, charges had not yet been filed against Morales as of Thursday evening. The investigation remains ongoing.

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