WASHINGTON: A man was arrested in Utah for stabbing a Muslim man multiple times and stated that he targeted the victim because of his religion, police said in court records on Tuesday.

Peter Michael Larsen, 48, was booked into the Salt Lake County jail for an investigation over attempted murder and prohibited dangerous weapon conduct. Accor­ding to a police booking affidavit, Larsen told authorities he “intends to kill Muslims” and “had targeted the victim with intent to kill him because of his religion”.

The incident took place Monday inside the Valley Fair Mall in West Valley City. The suspect approac­hed the Muslim man, asked for his name and religion, and indicated he wanted a bottle of water, The Salt Lake Tribune reported, citing comments from Imam Shuaib Din.

As the victim turned to get the water, the attacker began stabbing him.

Bystanders pinned the suspect to the ground before officers arrived. The victim suffered “multiple stab wounds all over his body and was bleeding profusely”, police said. He was hospitalised in critical condition.

A Go­FundMe page said the man­ was stabbed 15 times and needed surgeries.

Police stated Larsen constitutes “a substantial danger to the public if released based on his violent actions ... ideologies and pre-planned mass casualty events”. The attacker was also hospitalised for wounds sustained while being subdued.

Muslim rights groups condemned the incident. US rights advocates have noted rising Islamophobia over the last two-plus decades following the Sept 11 attacks and more recently because of anti-immigration policies, white supremacy, and the fallout of Israel’s invasion of Gaza.

Published in Dawn, July 16th, 2026