Police: Muslim Man Stabbed Multiple Times in Utah over his Religion

Police in Utah arrested a man accused of repeatedly stabbing a Muslim individual, targeting him specifically because of his religion. Court records revealed on Tuesday that the suspect, Peter Michael Larsen, 48, expressed an intent to kill Muslims and was deemed a substantial public danger due to his violent actions and ideologies.

The attack occurred Monday inside the Valley Fair Mall in West Valley City. The male victim, a kiosk worker, sustained multiple stab wounds and was bleeding profusely. According to Imam Shuaib Din, who is in contact with the victim's family, Larsen approached the victim, asked his name and religion, and then began stabbing him as the victim turned to retrieve a bottle of water.

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he had targeted the victim with intent to kill him because of his religion (Muslim)

Bystanders intervened, pinning Larsen to the ground until officers arrived. Both the suspect and the victim were hospitalized. The victim remains in critical condition, having reportedly been stabbed 15 times and requiring surgeries, according to a GoFundMe page set up by a friend.

Muslim rights groups, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations, have condemned the incident. US rights advocates point to rising Islamophobia, fueled by factors such as anti-immigration policies, white supremacy, and the fallout from the conflict in Gaza, as contributing to such violence. The article also references past deadly attacks, including the 2023 stabbing of a Muslim child in Illinois and a 2026 shooting at a San Diego mosque.

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intends to kill Muslims and that he constituted 'a substantial danger to the public if released based on his violent actions ... ideologies and pre-planned mass casualty events.'