A 48-year-old man has been arrested in the US state of Utah after allegedly stabbing a Muslim man multiple times at a shopping mall, with police saying the suspect admitted he targeted the victim because of his religion.
The attack took place on Monday inside Valley Fair Mall in West Valley City, where the victim sustained multiple stab wounds and was left in critical condition.
According to court documents, the suspect, Peter Michael Larsen, told investigators he “intends to kill Muslims” and admitted selecting the victim because he was Muslim.
Police said bystanders managed to restrain Larsen until officers arrived. He was later booked into the Salt Lake County Jail on suspicion of attempted murder and weapons-related offences after receiving treatment for injuries sustained while being subdued.
According to local reports, the attacker first approached the victim, asked his name and religion, and requested a bottle of water. As the victim turned away to retrieve it, the suspect allegedly began stabbing him.
A fundraising page set up by a friend of the victim said he suffered 15 stab wounds and has undergone multiple surgeries.
The attack was condemned by Muslim advocacy organisations, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which described the incident as part of a broader rise in anti-Muslim hatred.
Civil rights groups have warned of increasing incidents of Islamophobia in the United States, citing factors including anti-immigration rhetoric, white supremacist violence and tensions linked to the war in Gaza.