New York City police arrested 51-year-old Raul Morales on Thursday after two people were stabbed in separate attacks on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. The incidents took place Thursday afternoon, with Morales allegedly stabbing an Asian man and a Jewish man near a synagogue.
Morales has been charged with attempted murder as a hate crime, among other charges. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated that authorities are evaluating whether the attacks amount to a hate crime, as officials note that Jewish New Yorkers face disproportionate hate crime rates.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said that initial checks suggest mental health may have been a factor in the attacks.