UWS Stabber Indicted for Attempted Murder, Antisemitic Hate Crimes

The mad stabber Raul Morales, 51, who attacked two men on the Upper West Side in an unprovoked fury on the afternoon of July 23 has been indicted for attempted murder, and a slew of antisemitic hate crimes. The Sept. 8 announcement by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. brought some clarity to a case that attracted immediate attention as a suspected anti-Jewish attack but was also the cause of some confusion, for though one victim was a Jewish man wearing a yarmulke, Moshe Yezhak Grunhaus, the other, Chok Sung, was of an Asian-American man of undisclosed national origin.

The formal indictment follows Morales’ arraignment of July 25 in Manhattan criminal court. That appearance was especially notable for the presence of Morales’ mother, who told her son “Raul, I’m here,” after he was ordered held without bail and whisked from the courtroom. Prior to this, Morales looked back into the gallery and mouthed, “I love you, mom”—a jarringly warm exchange given the charges made against him. Morales pleaded not guilty, and was ordered held without bail while the judge ordered he undergo a psychiatric evaluation.

While the transformation of a loving son into an allegedly hate-driven violent criminal remains mysterious, prosecutors laid the details of their office’s investigation into Morales’ attacks.

As alleged in court documents and statements made on the record in court, on July 23, 2026, at approximately 1:31 p.m., Chok Sung, 57, who was wearing a baseball cap, was walking westbound on West 84th Street from Central Park West, in the vicinity Congregation Rodelph Sholom synagogue near West 83rd Street and Central Park West.

As he was walking, Morales allegedly approached him from behind and stabbed him, unprovoked, in the back with a knife. Morales allegedly yelled, “Allahu Akbar” during the attack before fleeing, heading down the block. While walking past Congregation Rodeph Sholom synagogue, Morales allegedly yelled, in substance, “Justice for Islam!”

At approximately 1:43 p.m., Morales allegedly approached a 50-year-old Jewish man, who was wearing a kippah (yarmulke), in the vicinity of a second synagogue, The Jewish Center, where he was attending Tisha B’Av services, near West 86th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, and stabbed him, unprovoked, in the chest with a screwdriver. A witness to the aftermath of the attack, followed Morales as he fled to his apartment building, near West 89th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, and heard him allegedly shout “Allahu Akbar!”

The victims were each transported to Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital at 419 West 114th St. to be treated for their injuries. Sung arrived with the knife still lodged in his back, which required surgery to remove. Grunhaus had a puncture wound to his chest.

Cops responded to several 911 calls and tracked Morales to his apartment in the nearby Frederick Douglass Houses NYCHA complex, within the confines of the 24th Precinct. Morales initially refused to come out but eventually surrendered. While inside the apartment, Morales allegedly changed his clothing. A screwdriver was also recovered from the scene of the second stabbing.

Throughout the investigation, the D.A.’s office have uncovered additional evidence illustrating alleged antisemitic bias. Specifically, pursuant to search warrants, text messages containing antisemitic sentiments were recovered from Morales’ phone.

While it remains to be proven in court, the supposition is that, having attacked Chok Sung from behind near a synagogue, Morales had mistaken the Asian-American man for a Jew.

Law Enforcement Denounces Hate Crimes

“Raul Morales was allegedly motivated by antisemitism when he attacked two New Yorkers in broad daylight near two Upper West Side synagogues,” said District Attorney Bragg. “Since the initial arrest, my Office has continued to thoroughly investigate this matter and uncovered additional evidence alleging the defendant specifically harbors antisemitic views. This case is a prime example of how hate crimes make all of us less safe. I want to make clear to all Manhattanites that we will stand with and support you no matter your background, ethnicity or religion.”

As alleged, Raul Morales violently assaulted two innocent New Yorkers for no other reason than his belief they were Jewish,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch. “The members of the NYPD responded quickly, identified the suspect, and took him into custody that same afternoon. That is what the NYPD has done, and will continue to do, in response to antisemitic hate crimes and hate crimes of any kind: respond immediately, conduct a thorough investigation, and pursue complete accountability under the law.”

Department of Correction records describe Morales as 5 feet 6 inches tall, 140 pounds, of “other” race. His next scheduled cour date is November 10.

Politicians Denounce Hate Crimes

These statements follow a raft of concern and condemnation from Jewish and other elected officials during a press event held near the Jewish Center on July 24.

“We have so many scourges,” said City Councilmember Gale Brewer. “One of them is hatred and one of them is mental illness, and we never seem to fix either one.”

Some speakers suggested Morales’ hate was driven the strong, often decontextualized, anti-Israeli sentiments expressed in certain parts of the city, including the Mayor’s Office, and by Democratic Socialists generally.

“We cannot normalize what is happening in our city,” said Julie Menin. “We have to bring the temperatures down.”

Assemblymember Micah Lasher said, “Whenever facts unfold about the motivations of the attacker, we already have seen more than enough tragedy to know that overheated rhetoric in the political arena can lead to antisemitic violence.”

“While the investigation remains ongoing, we should acknowledge that this violence has damaged an already delicate sense of security, particularly for the Jewish community as the attack occurred during Tisha B’Av,” offered Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal. Tisha B’Av is a day of fast and mourning over the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem, the former by the Babylonians in 587 BCE, the latter by the Romans in 70 CE.

Attorney General Letitia James, State Comptroller Tom Di Napoli, City Comptroller Mark Levine and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams were also in attendance.