US: A 48-year-old man was arrested after stabbing a 37-year-old Indian Muslim kiosk worker more than 15 times inside Valley Fair Mall in West Valley City, Utah, on Monday.
Peter Michael Larsen has been charged in connection with the attack on Syed Sohailuddin, who was hospitalized in critical condition, authorities said. Court records indicate that Larsen told officers he intended to kill Muslims.
According to accounts shared by Imam Shuaib Din of the Utah Islamic Center, who was in contact with the victim’s family, the suspect approached Sohailuddin at his kiosk. Larsen asked for the victim’s name and religion, then requested a bottle of water. As Sohailuddin turned to assist him, the attacker began stabbing him, the imam reported. Bystanders intervened, pinning Larsen to the ground and disarming him before police arrived.
The Salt Lake Tribune reported the details citing the imam’s comments. Sohailuddin, described as a Muslim father, does not have health insurance. A friend established a GoFundMe page to support his medical expenses.
The stabbing occurred in a public area of the busy shopping mall. Police have not released further details on the charges, but Larsen was taken into custody at the scene.
The incident has drawn attention amid broader concerns about anti-Muslim violence in the United States. Rights advocates have pointed to a rise in Islamophobia over the past two decades, particularly following the September 11, 2001 attacks, as well as in connection with anti-immigration policies, white supremacy, and recent international conflicts.
Previous high-profile cases include the 2023 stabbing death of a 6-year-old Muslim boy in Illinois, whose killer was sentenced to 53 years in prison and later died in custody, and a 2026 shooting at a San Diego mosque that resulted in five deaths.
Investigators have not publicly disclosed a motive beyond the statements Larsen allegedly made to officers. The case remains under active investigation by local authorities.
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