Raul Morales, 51, has been charged with attempted murder as a hate crime following a double stabbing on New York City’s Upper West Side that targeted two victims from different communities, according to the New York City Police Department. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated that the suspect allegedly yelled “Allahu Akbar” during both attacks, which left two men injured on Thursday.
Charges and Court Appearance in Upper West Side Stabbing
According to law enforcement authorities, Morales faces charges of attempted murder as a hate crime, assault as a hate crime, and criminal possession of a weapon for the attack on Moshe Grunhaus, a 50-year-old Jewish man. For the separate stabbing of a 57-year-old Asian man, police charged Morales with attempted murder, assault, and criminal possession of a weapon, though not classified as a hate crime for that specific instance. Both victims are expected to survive their injuries.
Morales appeared in court late Friday night before a judge read the formal charges. According to courtroom observers, Morales looked into the gallery and stated, “I love you, mama.” The judge ordered him remanded into custody, with his next court appearance scheduled for July 30.
Investigation and Law Enforcement Findings
Police executed a search warrant Friday at an apartment building not far from the attack site where Morales lived with other people. Investigators removed a laptop and a bag containing books, including the Quran and a text about Che Guevara, though law enforcement has not yet confirmed ownership of those items.
Commissioner Tisch reported that while Morales has no known mental health history with the NYPD, the initial investigation indicates mental health may have been a contributing factor. Court and police records show Morales has a prior criminal history involving two open drug arrests in 1991 and five sealed arrests.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani addressed the incident in a public statement, saying, “I am thankful that [Morales] is being held accountable and hope he will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. This kind of despicable violence is not who we are as a city.” The U.S. Department of Justice civil rights division has also opened an investigation into the stabbings.
Community Impact and Victim Recovery
Rabbi Yosie Levine of the Jewish Center noted that Grunhaus had been praying at the synagogue just moments before the attack occurred roughly 200 feet away. Grunhaus, who recently relocated to Florida and was visiting New York temporarily, was discharged from the hospital Friday afternoon.
“Moshe had just gotten up to leave at around 1:30 after having spent the whole morning and beginning of the afternoon with us, and for this to happen 200 feet from our synagogue is just, it’s almost hard to believe,” Rabbi Levine said. Dr. Nava Silton, a longtime acquaintance of Grunhaus, added that he chose to focus on gratitude despite the trauma.
The second victim, the 57-year-old Asian man, remains hospitalized and is recovering well, according to a spokesperson for the Mount Sinai Health System.
Related reading