Indian Muslim stabbed 15 times in suspected US hate crime
Police say suspect asked the victim’s religion before launching knife attack at mall
Dubai: A routine workday at a shopping mall in the US state of Utah turned into a nightmare after an Indian Muslim employee was allegedly stabbed in a targeted hate attack by a man who later told police he “intends to kill Muslims.”
Peter Michael Larsen, 48, has been charged with attempted murder and prohibited dangerous weapon conduct following Monday’s attack at Valley Fair Mall in West Valley City. He is being held at the Salt Lake County jail.
According to court documents, Larsen admitted he deliberately targeted the victim because he was Muslim, Media reports said.
The victim, identified by friends as Sohail, was working at a mall kiosk when the suspect approached him and began asking questions.
Luna Nunez, who works at a nearby jewellery store, told ABC Salt Lake City that Larsen first asked where Sohail was from.
“He asked, ‘Where are you from?’ and he told him, ‘I’m from India, my name’s Sohail.’ Larsen then asked, ‘Are you Muslim?’ Sohail said yes, and he just began stabbing him,” she said.
Utah Islamic Center Imam Shuaib Din told the Salt Lake Tribune that Larsen had also asked Sohail for a bottle of water. As Sohail turned to get it, the suspect allegedly pulled out a knife and attacked him.
A GoFundMe campaign launched by Nunez says Sohail was stabbed 15 times. He has undergone multiple surgeries and remains in critical condition.
Bystanders intervene
Several shoppers and mall employees rushed to Sohail’s aid before police arrived, tackling Larsen and holding him until officers reached the scene.
Investigators said Larsen poses “a substantial danger to the public” because of his alleged violent actions, extremist ideology and references to pre-planned mass-casualty events.
Larsen was treated for injuries sustained while being restrained before being taken into custody.
‘There’s no space for hate’
Friends and colleagues described Sohail as a hardworking family man who is the sole breadwinner for his wife and two young children.
“I know he doesn’t have insurance. He’s the only man working in his family. He has two babies and a wife, and they are not working right now,” Nunez told KSL.
Sohail’s manager, Adnan Mohammed, condemned the attack.
“This is just crazy. Hate crime, there’s no space for hate,” he told Fox 13.
“Always smiling, laughing, working very hard. I promoted him as a manager to operate everything. When you kill a human, you’re not just killing one guy. You’re killing a whole family.”
In another interview with ABC Salt Lake City, Mohammed said: “I wish I was there to protect him. I would’ve given my life to protect him.”
Recalling the attack, Nunez said she threw whatever she could find at the suspect in an effort to stop him.
“I was throwing anything I could - shoes, a chair, anything. He was stabbing him so viciously. I thought he was going to die,” she said.
She added that other mall workers told her Larsen had been walking around the shopping centre asking people about their religion before the attack.
The incident comes amid continuing concern among civil rights groups over anti-Muslim hate crimes in the United States, with campaigners citing anti-immigration rhetoric, white supremacist activity and tensions linked to the war in Gaza as contributing factors.
