Law enforcement authorities have taken a man into custody following a double stabbing incident on Manhattan's Upper West Side on Thursday afternoon, prompting investigations into a possible bias-motivated attack.
Local media reported that the violence unfolded shortly after 1:30 p.m. local time. Officers discovered the first victim, a 57-year-old man, at the intersection of West 84th Street and Central Park West suffering from a single stab wound to his torso.
Moments later, police located a second victim, a 50-year-old man, at West 86th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, who had also been stabbed in the torso.
According to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), eyewitnesses alleged that the suspected attacker yelled "Allahu Akbar."
Emergency responders transported both victims to a nearby hospital. Authorities confirmed that both men are expected to survive their injuries.
According to police reports, one of the victims is Jewish and the other is Asian. While detectives are probing whether the assault was hate-related, officials emphasized that it remains too early in the ongoing investigation to make a formal hate crime determination.
Following the dual attacks, the assailant fled the scene on foot and barricaded himself inside an apartment building located on Amsterdam Avenue between 88th and 89th streets. The NYPD Emergency Service Unit deployed negotiators to the scene, successfully taking the suspect into custody around 2:45 p.m. He was subsequently brought to a local precinct for questioning.
Investigators recovered a weapon near the location of the second stabbing at 86th Street and Amsterdam Avenue. Police noted that the two victims do not appear to know each other, and it remains unclear whether the attacker had any prior connection to either victim. No motive has yet been established.
Despite the lack of official confirmation from police regarding a motive, local leadership voiced strong concerns over potential antisemitic bias. New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin weighed in publicly, stating the assault appears to be targeting Jews.
"I am absolutely sickened and furious by what appears to be an antisemitic stabbing on the Upper West Side. While we await additional details to be confirmed, we know that what is happening in our city is abhorrent. The fear in the Jewish community is real. Every New Yorker deserves to feel safe in their neighborhood, regardless of their faith or identity," she wrote in a post on social media.
"We must remain united in condemning antisemitism and ensuring those responsible are held fully accountable. I thank the NYPD for its swift response in apprehending the assailant. My prayers are with the victims and their loved ones," added Menin.
Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, similarly characterized the event as antisemitic, directing blame at NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani's anti-Israel rhetoric.
"Zohran Mamdani, your incitement is putting Jewish lives in danger in New York, home to the largest Jewish community outside Israel. You have spent months fueling hatred, demonizing Israel and legitimizing hostility toward Jews. Now take responsibility for the consequences," wrote Danon.
He added, "Every time you pour more fuel on this fire, you make violence more likely. Stop the incitement. Before more people get hurt."
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar similarly condemned the incident and said, “I am appalled by the horrific antisemitic stabbing attack in New York. Appalled but sadly not surprised."
“This violence did not happen in a vacuum. Months of incitement against the Jewish state from Mamdani have helped create a climate in which Jews are targeted," said Sa’ar.
“Words have consequences. Mamdani must end the incitement, confront antisemitism with resolve, and act now to protect the city’s Jewish community. Enough is enough," he added.
Mamdani himself commented on the incident and wrote on social media, “I have been briefed on today’s horrifying stabbings on the Upper West Side, where an Asian man and a Jewish man were attacked. According to witness and victim statements, the perpetrator yelled ‘Allahu Akbar’ during both attacks. I am relieved that both victims are in stable condition."
He thanked the NYPD for their immediate response and arrest of a suspect and added, “The NYPD’s initial investigation suggests that mental health may have been a factor. They are also evaluating these stabbings as potential hate crimes. These hateful and despicable attacks have no place in our city."
New York Governor Kathy Hochul said in response, “Disgusted by what appears to be another senseless attack on New Yorkers simply because they’re Jewish. The strength of New York has always been our ability to live together across every faith and background."
She added, “Anyone who tries to tear that apart will be met with the full force of the law. New York will stand with our Jewish community today, tomorrow, and always."
Hochul further stated, “Our hearts are also with the second victim. Asian New Yorkers, like Jewish New Yorkers, have endured waves of hate-fueled violence in recent years. Hate rarely stops with one group. New York will continue confronting it wherever it appears."