NYPD: Suspect Yelled ‘Allahu Akbar’ During Separate Stabbings of Asian and Jewish Men

NYPD: Suspect Yelled ‘Allahu Akbar’ During Separate Stabbings of Asian and Jewish Men

A man yelled “Allahu Akbar” when he attacked two men on the Upper West Side in New York City, according to NYPD Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch.

Tisch wrote on X:

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.

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

I understand having to investigate all angles, but if this older male has no history of mental health issues….then why?

However, one witness said Morales walked around “erratically” and shouted, “incoherently — including yelling the word ‘Islam’ — on Columbus Avenue near West 86th Street roughly half an hour after officers responded to the first stabbing.”

Why no mention of alcohol or drugs? I wonder if they’ll release more information about Morales.

Morales allegedly stabbed a 57-year-old Asian man in the back with a knife around 1:30 PM:

Marianna Ellenberg recalled witnessing the wife of the first victim watch in horror as her husband was randomly knifed in the back near West 84th Street and Central Park West.

“He was entirely like this [kneeling on his knees], and the knife was sticking out his back. He was just like kind of so stoic,” Ellenberg said. “We saw her [his wife] covering her mouth. She was just scared.”

“Like it was like a surreal image because it was during a bright, sunny 1:30 p.m. Upper West Side, Central Park West day. And there was just this cry,” Ellenberg said.

Then Morales allegedly attacked and stabbed a 50-year-old Jewish man in the torso a short time later.

The Jewish man was leaving a synagogue when he was attacked:

Nava Silton, who was speaking with the second victim inside the Jewish Center on West 86th Street before the attack, said she ran out and spoke to two witnesses who heard the suspect say “Allah Akbar” before the stabbing.

“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 Post.

She said that the victim told her “someone drove a screwdriver into the right side of his chest and yelled something,” but didn’t hear exactly what.

“It was serious, but he’s speaking, and he’s conscious,” she said of the victim, adding that he was “an incredible person” and that she was praying for him. He had been leaving Tisha B’Av services when he was attacked.

Besides leaving the synagogue, two witnesses said the Jewish man was “identifiably Jewish” since he wore a yarmulke.

Both victims are in stable condition at St. Luke’s Hospital.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani responded:

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

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