Knifeman yelling 'Allahu Akbar' stabs two men in New York City in bloodthirsty rampage

Morales allegedly stabbed the first victim, a 57-year-old Asian man identified as Chok Sung, in the back at around 1.30pm, a law enforcement official familiar with the matter told The New York Times.

The second man, 50-year-old Moshe Yezhak Grunhaus, was wearing a yarmulke and attacked after leaving a synagogue and stabbed in the torso with a screwdriver, sources told The New York Post.

"Detectives are continuing to work the case and determine motive, but according to victim and witness statements, Morales yelled 'Allahu Akbar' during both attacks," Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said in a statement.

"The NYPD is currently evaluating whether this is a potential hate crime."

Morales had no "known mental health history with the NYPD", but initial investigations from the force suggests mental health "may have been a factor", Mrs Tisch added.

Both men have now been taken to Mt Sinai-St. Luke's Hospital, and both are expected to survive.

The knifeman was arrested at 2.45pm after he barricaded himself in an apartment blocks away from the scene of the crime, according to The New York Post.

A witness claimed Morales had been behaving erratically and shouting the word "Islam" prior to the horrific incident.

"I want to commend the bravery of a good Samaritan who led our officers to the location where the perpetrator was hiding, as well as our NYPD cops who brought an end to the incident without further injuries," the police commissioner said.

Nava Silton, who was speaking the Jewish man moments before the attack, told The New York Post: "The perpetrator tried to act like a normal person and that he wasn't involved and muttering someone should call 911. Literally pretending he was not culpable."

She said the man stabbed by the screwdriver was in a "serious" condition, but was speaking and conscious.

Michael Jacobs and Morris Dahan, members of Manhattan Shomrim, rushed to the scene after receiving calls about the stabbing.

Mr Jacobs said the man was "fully identifiable" as Jewish.

He said: "He was wearing a skull cap, a yarmulke, a kippah, and he lives here in the neighborhood. He's known in the neighborhood."

Mr Dahan said 50 to 60 police officers entered the apartment with "dogs, canine, sledgehammers, whatever they need to break into doors" in order to arrest Morales.

Speaker of the New York City Council Julie Menin quickly condemned the attack - which comes just days after the Muslim Mayor of New York Zohran Mamdani accused Israel of war crimes - as antisemitic.

In a statement on social media, she said: "The fear in the Jewish community is real. Every New Yorker deserves to feel safe in their neighborhood, regardless of their faith or identity.

"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."

New York's Mayor said he had been briefed on the "horrifying" stabbings and thanked NYPD officers "for their swift response".

The socialist said: "These hateful and despicable attacks have no place in our city."

And the state's Governor Kathy Hochul said she was "digusted" by another "senseless attack" on Jewish New Yorkers.

She said: "The strength of New York has always been our ability to live together across every faith and background."

Mrs Hochul said the city "will stand with our Jewish community today, tomorrow, and always".