Upper West Side double-stabbing suspect in custody after barricading himself in apartment, police say

A suspect is in custody after a double stabbing on the Upper West Side, police said Thursday.

It happened just after 1:30 p.m..

2 men stabbed

Police said the first victim, a 57-year-old man, was found at West 84th Street and Central Park West. He had been stabbed once in the back with a knife.

The second victim, a 50-year-old man, was found at West 86th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, police said, adding that victim had been stabbed in the chest with a screwdriver.

Both victims were taken to a local hospital and are expected to survive.

According to police, the suspect ran off after both stabbings. He eventually entered an apartment building on Amsterdam Avenue between 88th and 89th streets and barricaded himself inside an apartment, police said.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said in a statement that a good Samaritan led officers to the apartment where the suspect was hiding.

The NYPD Emergency Service Unit was called and negotiated with the suspect, police said. He was taken into custody at around 2:45 p.m. and was being questioned at a local police precinct.

Investigators found a weapon near 86th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, police said.  

Police have identified the suspect as Raul Morales, 51.

Potential motive in double stabbing

Tisch said in a statement that the victims and witnesses reported that Morales yelled "Allahu Akbar" during both attacks.

Police are looking into whether the stabbings could be a hate crime, but said it is too early in the investigation to make that determination. Investigators do believe mental health may have been a factor.

According to police, one of the victims is Asian and the other is Jewish.

Police said the victims do not know each other, and there is no known connection between Morales and either of the victims. The motive is unknown at this time.

According to police sources, the suspect has seven prior arrests, including two for drug-related charges in 1991.

Neighbors concerned

New York State Assemblyman Micah Lasher said neighbors are shaken.

"I am hearing from constituents. People are upset. People are concerned, understandably," he said. "We're all, I think, right now focused on praying for the victims and their survival and recovery."

"It's an anomaly. It's not the norm," one Upper West Side resident said. "If it's two people stabbed, you know, four blocks apart or whatever, my feeling is it's somebody with issues or something like that who's running around doing this."

"I'm feeling uneasy. It feels uneasy to know that you have to be vigilant all the time, even in your own neighborhood, and there's a lot of families here, a lot of kids, and where can you be safe now?" one woman said.