Leaders call for hate crime prosecution after Upper West Side stabbing attacks
UPPER WEST SIDE, Manhattan (WABC) -- A man accused of carrying out two separate stabbings on Manhattan's Upper West Side is expected to face charges Friday as community leaders and elected officials call on prosecutors to pursue the case as a hate crime.
Police say 51-year-old Raul Morales was taken into custody Thursday after two men were attacked within minutes of each other in the neighborhood.
According to investigators, the first attack happened around 1:30 p.m. near Central Park West and West 84th Street, where a 57-year-old Asian man was stabbed in the back. A short time later, police say a 50-year-old Jewish man was stabbed near West 86th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, close to a synagogue.
The attacks rattled residents and members of the community, particularly because the second stabbing occurred near a house of worship. One synagogue member described the violence as frightening, saying it was especially unsettling to learn that someone associated with a synagogue he has attended for years was targeted.
In a statement posted on social media, Mayor Mamdani said the NYPD's initial investigation suggests mental health may have been a factor in the attacks, while condemning what he called "hateful and despicable" acts of violence.
Both victims were taken to a local hospital and are expected to recover, according to police. Investigators say the suspect allegedly used a blade and a screwdriver during the attacks.
Jewish leaders and elected officials are scheduled to hold a news conference Friday morning to address the incidents and renew calls for the Manhattan District Attorney's Office to prosecute the case as a hate crime. Charges against Raul Morales were pending as of early Friday.
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