WEST VALLEY CITY — Peter Michael Larsen, 48, was charged with two counts of attempted aggravated murder following a stabbing attack at Valley Fair Mall in West Valley City, Utah. The charges against Larsen include hate crime penalty enhancements and a count of being a prohibited person in possession of a weapon.

The stabbing occurred at approximately 2:30 p.m. on Monday at the shopping mall. The victim was a Muslim man working at a kiosk in the mall. Larsen approached the victim, asked for his name, asked about his religion, and requested a bottle of water. The suspect began stabbing the victim as the victim turned to retrieve the water, according to authorities.

The victim suffered more than 15 stab wounds. Police stated the victim had “multiple stab wounds all over his body and was bleeding profusely.” The victim was hospitalized in critical condition and required surgeries. Bystanders restrained Larsen and removed the knife from his hand before police arrived. Larsen was hospitalized for injuries sustained while being subdued by bystanders.

Larsen was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and carrying a prohibited dangerous weapon and was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail. He is being held without bail. Larsen was on parole for a previous violent felony at the time of the attack.

Larsen told police he targeted the victim because of the victim's religion and told police he intended to kill the victim. He told police he “intends to kill Muslims.” Larsen stated he wanted “to be a catalyst so people would rid the country of Muslims.” He stated that “if he could go from one Muslim to another in close proximity, he would have killed as many as possible.” Larsen stated he chose the location because he knew there were Muslims there.

Court records state Larsen constitutes a substantial danger to the public if released based on his violent actions, ideologies and pre-planned mass casualty events. Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said, “An alleged unprovoked attack on anyone in our community is unacceptable, but an attack allegedly motivated because of the victim's religion is alarming.” Gill also said, “We don't want to say anything else until we receive the results of the investigation.”

The attack is one of multiple incidents targeting Muslims in 2026. In May, a shooting at a mosque in San Diego left five people dead, including two teenage suspects. Court records cite Larsen's stated ideologies and pre-planned mass casualty intent as part of the basis for the charges and risk assessment. Federal and state authorities are reviewing the case for potential civil rights violations. The FBI has opened a parallel investigation to determine whether federal hate crime charges are warranted. Medical staff reported the victim has begun to show signs of improvement, though recovery is expected to be lengthy. Surveillance footage from the mall has been collected as evidence and matches witness accounts of the attack. Larsen has a history of prior arrests, including for assault and weapons possession, dating back to the early 2000s. Prosecutors indicated they will seek enhanced penalties under state hate crime statutes during any trial. The investigation remains active, with detectives interviewing additional witnesses and reviewing digital evidence. Community leaders have called for calm and unity in the wake of the incident, while urging continued reporting of suspicious behavior.

The hate crime enhancements added to the attempted aggravated murder charges reflect the alleged religious motivation. Larsen's status as a parolee for a previous violent felony adds context to the prohibited weapon charge. The investigation remains ongoing as the Salt Lake County District Attorney's office awaits additional results before making further statements.