Utah Man Charged After Alleged Religion-Motivated Stabbing of Muslim Worker
WASHINGTON-A Utah man was arrested after allegedly stabbing a Muslim kiosk worker multiple times inside a shopping mall and telling investigators he targeted the victim because of his religion, according to court records and police documents released on Tuesday.
The attack occurred on Monday at Valley Fair Mall in West Valley City, where authorities said the suspect assaulted the victim with a knife after asking about his identity and religious faith. Police alleged the suspect later admitted he intended to kill the victim because he was Muslim.
According to a police booking affidavit, officers determined the suspect posed a significant threat to public safety after he allegedly stated that he “intends to kill Muslims” and expressed violent extremist views. Investigators also cited what they described as pre-planned intentions for mass-casualty violence in arguing that he should remain in custody.
When officers arrived at the scene, they found the victim suffering from multiple stab wounds across his body and losing a significant amount of blood, according to the affidavit. Bystanders had restrained the suspect until police reached the mall.
Authorities identified the suspect as Peter Michael Larsen, 48. Salt Lake County jail records show he was booked while investigators pursue charges including attempted murder and prohibited dangerous weapon conduct.
Police said Larsen admitted during questioning that he selected the victim because of his Muslim faith and intended to kill him.
Imam Shuaib Din, who leads the Utah Islamic Center and has been in contact with the victim’s family, told the Salt Lake Tribune that the suspect first approached the kiosk, asked the worker’s name and religion, and requested a bottle of water. According to Din, the attacker began stabbing the victim as he turned to retrieve the water.
The victim was hospitalized in critical condition. A fundraising page created by a friend said he had been stabbed 15 times and required multiple surgeries. Reuters could not independently verify the number of wounds reported on the fundraising page.
The suspect was also taken to hospital after sustaining injuries while being subdued by members of the public before being transferred to the Salt Lake County jail.
The attack drew condemnation from Muslim advocacy organizations, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations, which denounced the violence.
Civil rights advocates have reported a rise in anti-Muslim incidents in the United States over the past two decades following the September 11, 2001, attacks. More recently, advocacy groups have linked growing concerns about Islamophobia to anti-immigration rhetoric, white supremacist ideology and tensions surrounding Israel’s war in Gaza.
The incident follows other high-profile attacks targeting Muslims in recent years, including the fatal stabbing of a six-year-old Muslim child in Illinois in 2023 and a 2026 shooting at a mosque in San Diego that left five people dead, according to the information provided.