Man held after two stabbings near Central Park, New York police assess hate crime

NEW YORK: New York police have arrested a 51-year-old man after two men were stabbed in separate attacks near Central Park on Thursday, with authorities examining whether the case should be treated as a hate crime.

New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said on X that the victims were an Asian man and a Jewish man. She said both were taken to hospital and were expected to survive. The suspect was identified as Raul Morales.

Tisch said investigators were still working to establish a motive, but added that victim and witness accounts indicated Morales shouted

‘Allahu Akbar’ during both attacks,

according to her statement. She also said police were evaluating whether the incident was a potential hate crime and that, at this stage, there was no known connection between Morales and either victim, or between the two victims themselves.

She further said police records showed no history of psychiatric illness for the suspect. In a separate post on X, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the early investigation suggested mental health may have played a role. He said both victims were in stable condition and described the stabbings as hateful and despicable attacks that had no place in the city.