A man is in custody after the stabbing of a Muslim employee of a Utah mall. According to an affidavit obtained by The National, 48-year-old Peter Michael Larsen tried to stab and kill a worker at the Valley Fair Mall in West Valley City because of his religion.
“During the apprehended person's interview, he stated he believes he is a catalyst and he intends to kill Muslims,” the affidavit read. The arresting officers indicated that the man was a substantial danger to the public.
The report filed by West Valley City police also points out that the suspect was out on parole for a previous felony charge.
The Salt Lake Tribune reported that the victim was approached by the suspect, who asked his name, inquired about his religion and requested a bottle of water. As the victim turned to retrieve the water, the suspect allegedly began stabbing him.
“When officers arrived, mall bystanders had the apprehended person pinned to the ground and had already removed the knife from his hand,” the police report said. “Other officers tended the male victim, who had multiple stab wounds all over his body and was bleeding profusely.” The victim was in a serious condition due to the stab wounds and was taken to a nearby hospital.
Because of the nature of the attack, police have formally described Mr Larsen as being an “elevated risk of committing violent crime” due to his “ideologies and pre-planned mass casualty events”, and therefore is being held in prison without bail.
He has been charged with attempted murder and prohibited conduct while in possession of a weapon, among other things.
A GoFundMe page seeking to raise funds for the victim's medical treatment and recovery refers to the mall employee by the name Sohail.
“He was the victim of a horrific hate crime, suffering over 15 stab wounds,” the page reads. “Sohail is now in critical condition, facing multiple surgeries for his hands, heart and lungs.”
The GoFundMe page describes him as “a devoted husband and father who has always worked hard to support his family”.
