CBS News: Motive Not Yet Known for Attacker Who Yelled 'Allahu Akbar' During NYC Stabbings

Doug P. | 1:45 PM on July 24, 2026

Witnesses say that a man yelled "Allahu Akbar" when he stabbed two people in Zohran Mamdani's New York City this week:

New York City Jewish leaders demanded Mayor Zohran Mamdani “stop fanning the flames of hatred and division” Friday — as they urged cops to charge the deranged attacker who stabbed two men on the Upper West Side with a hate crime.
Suspect Raul Morales, 51, allegedly yelled “Allahu Akbar” as he attacked the two victims — one Asian and one Jewish — in separate attacks blocks from Central Park on Thursday afternoon, police said.
“We’re horrified and heartbroken by yesterday’s attacks. But to be clear, we are no longer surprised,” UJA-Federation of New York CEO Eric Goldstein said at a press conference near the scene, blaming the mayor’s anti-Israel rhetoric for the violence in a blistering condemnation.

We can at this point be fairly confident that the media's working on some "concern about possible backlash" angles as we speak. In the meantime, CBS News has taken the "possible mental health issue" approach.

According to victim and witness statements, the suspect yelled "Allahu Akbar" during both attacks, police said, adding that mental health issues may have been a factor. https://t.co/pFuPL1WZcR
— CBS News (@CBSNews) July 24, 2026

Could there maybe have been other factors?

Mental health? Allow me to suggest another, far more likely alternative... https://t.co/bRpt0vwbXX
— Physics Geek (@physicsgeek) July 24, 2026

There might be a different issue at play, not that CBS News was about to go there.

That's an odd first conclusion from the evidence presented. It sounds more like evidence of a "hate crime" than mental illness. https://t.co/67zG7C2vhJ
— Ed Morrissey (@EdMorrissey) July 24, 2026

Now imagine the MSM's conclusive takes if the attacker had been wearing a red hat.