New York City stabbing suspect facing hate crime charges – ABC News – Breaking News, Latest News and Videos

New York City stabbing suspect facing hate crime charges  ABC News – Breaking News, Latest News and Videos

A man is facing hate crime charges after allegedly stabbing two people in broad daylight in Manhattan's residential Upper West Side neighborhood, authorities said. A man is facing hate crime charges after allegedly stabbing two people in broad daylight in Manhattan's residential Upper West Side neighborhood, authorities said. Raul Morales, 51, has been charged with two counts of attempted second-degree murder as a hate crime, first-degree assault as a hate crime, second-degree assault as a hate crime and attempted first-degree assault as a hate crime. Morales allegedly attacked two men on the Upper West Side on Thursday.

First, a 57-year-old Asian man was stabbed in the torso near West 84th Street and Central Park West, police said. The second victim, a 50-year-old Jewish man, had just stepped outside a synagogue near West 86th Street and Amsterdam Avenue when he was stabbed in the chest with a screwdriver, officials said. The suspect yelled "Allahu Akbar" during both attacks, according to the victims and witnesses, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Thursday, as she noted that the NYPD was evaluating whether it was a potential hate crime.