Utah man who stabbed Muslim multiple times indicted for hate crime by federal grand jury
Peter Larsen, 48, of Orem, Utah, was indicted by a federal grand jury "for the federal hate crime of willfully causing bodily injury to a victim because of his actual or perceived religion."
A federal grand jury in Utah has indicted a 48-year-old man, Peter Larsen, for a hate crime stemming from the stabbing of a Muslim individual multiple times last July. According to prosecutors, Larsen intentionally caused bodily harm to the victim due to their perceived religion during the incident that took place at the Valley Fair Mall in West Valley City.
The victim, a Muslim man, sustained numerous stab wounds and required surgical intervention. Larsen, who has been in custody since his arrest on July 13, admitted to police that his intention was to kill Muslims. He allegedly purchased a knife from a store within the mall, questioned employees about their religious affiliation, and proceeded to stab the victim when he identified himself as a Muslim.
The attack was interrupted by bystanders who subdued Larsen until law enforcement arrived. This incident has drawn attention to the increase in Islamophobia in recent years, particularly following the 9/11 attacks and heightened anti-immigration policies.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
