NEW YORK (VINnews) — A 51-year-old Manhattan man accused of carrying out two separate stabbings on the Upper West Side in July has been indicted on hate crime charges, prosecutors announced Tuesday.
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Raul Morales is accused of attacking two men within minutes of each other on July 23 near two Upper West Side synagogues. He pleaded not guilty Tuesday to the charges.
According to prosecutors and police, Morales first approached a 57-year-old Asian man who was walking near West 84th Street and Central Park West at about 1:31 p.m. The man was allegedly stabbed in the back with a knife without provocation.
About 12 minutes later, Morales allegedly attacked Moshe Grunhaus, 50, a Jewish man wearing a kippah, near West 86th Street and Amsterdam Avenue. Grunhaus was stabbed in the chest with a screwdriver, according to authorities.
Police said Morales had no known connection to either victim.
Investigators allege Morales shouted “Allahu Akbar” during both attacks. Prosecutors also say he shouted words referring to “justice for Islam” as he fled the area.
Both victims were hospitalized. Prosecutors said the first victim required specialized surgery to remove the knife, which remained lodged in his back. Grunhaus suffered a serious puncture wound to his chest. Both men are expected to recover.
Police officers responding to multiple 911 calls tracked Morales to his apartment building. He initially refused to come outside but eventually surrendered, according to prosecutors.
Investigators later obtained a search warrant for Morales’ phone and found text messages containing what prosecutors described as antisemitic sentiments.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said the evidence indicates that antisemitism was a motivating factor in the attacks.
“Raul Morales was allegedly motivated by antisemitism when he attacked two New Yorkers in broad daylight near two Upper West Side synagogues,” Bragg said.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the department responded quickly, identified Morales and took him into custody the same afternoon.
Morales faces four counts of second-degree attempted murder as a hate crime, two counts of first-degree assault as a hate crime, two counts of attempted first-degree assault as a hate crime and two counts of second-degree assault as a hate crime.
WHY DOES IT HAVE TO TAKE ALMOST TWO MONTHS TO INDICT THIS PIECE OF GARBAGE? DID THEY HAVE TO RESEARCH HIM? WOULD IT HAVE TAKEN SO LONG IF THE VICTIM WERE NOT JEWISH?