A man in Utah has been charged with attempted murder and carrying a prohibited dangerous weapon after allegedly stabbing a Muslim man multiple times at a mall southeast of Salt Lake City. The suspect, Peter Michael Larsen, told police he targeted the victim due to his religious beliefs and intended to kill him, according to court records.
The attack occurred Monday afternoon at Valley Fair Mall. Bystanders intervened and disarmed the suspect before law enforcement arrived, records indicate.
The victim sustained more than 15 stab wounds and faces a significant recovery, according to a GoFundMe page established to support his medical expenses. The Associated Press could not be reached for immediate comment.
Larsen, 48, was on parole for a previous violent felony and is being held without bail. Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill stated that his office is reviewing the case to determine charges but declined further comment pending the investigation's outcome.
Advocacy groups have condemned the incident. Nihad Awad, national executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, issued a statement calling on leaders to reject anti-Muslim rhetoric, citing the attack as an example of the potential harm caused by such language. The organization referenced a May incident in San Diego where two teenagers killed three people at an Islamic Center, noting the assailants had expressed hateful ideologies toward various groups.
Valley Fair Mall did not immediately respond to requests for comment.