Utah man indicted on hate crime charge over stabbing of Muslim worker
A Utah man has been indicted on a federal hate-crime charge after buying a knife at a mall near Salt Lake City and stabbing a Muslim employee multiple times, including in the neck, according to prosecutors. Bystanders subdued the attacker and held him until police arrived.
The stabbing happened on July 13 at the West Valley Mall in West Valley City, Utah. Police found the victim inside the mall with multiple stab wounds.
Federal prosecutors said 48-year-old Peter Larsen of Orem held anti-Muslim views and went to the mall specifically to attack Muslims. He bought a knife from a store inside the mall and began asking employees whether they were Muslim.
When the victim said he was Muslim, Larsen began stabbing him, according to court documents. The attack ended only after bystanders intervened and detained Larsen.
The victim, identified in a fundraising campaign only as Sohail, suffered more than 15 stab wounds and was hospitalized in critical condition. The fundraiser said he required surgery for injuries to his hands, heart and lungs.
Larsen has remained in state custody since his arrest on the day of the attack. If convicted of the federal hate-crime charge, he faces up to life in prison.
“Anti-Muslim violence is a crime, and it will be met with the full force of federal law to ensure justice for the victim and the broader Muslim community,” U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak said.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
