A federal grand jury indicted 48-year-old Peter Michael Larsen on a federal hate crime charge stemming from the July 13 stabbing of a Muslim kiosk worker at the KSL in West Valley City. Larsen, identified in state records as living in Taylorsville and by the U.S. Attorney’s Office as being from Orem, was charged with willfully causing bodily injury because of the victim’s actual or perceived religion.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Peter Larsen on Hate Crime Charge
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office of Utah, the indictment alleges that Larsen harbored anti-Muslim views and traveled to the shopping center specifically to attack Muslims. Investigators stated that Larsen purchased a knife from a store inside the mall and approached employees to ask if they were Muslim before launching the attack. If convicted of the federal charge, Larsen faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.
Details of the Valley Fair Mall Attack and Bystander Intervention
The violent confrontation unfolded after Larsen spent time watching a movie at the mall’s theater while waiting for shops to open. Charging documents state that Larsen approached 37-year-old Syed Sohail Uddin—an Indian immigrant working at a mall kiosk—after Uddin confirmed he was Muslim. Larsen then repeatedly stabbed Uddin in the neck, chest, scalp, and hands.
Bystanders intervened during the assault by throwing objects and physically restraining Larsen until law enforcement arrived. Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill previously referred to the individuals who stepped in as civilian heroes, noting that their intervention prevented an even more severe outcome. Uddin sustained critical injuries, underwent hand surgery, and faces at least six months of recovery. A friend of Sohail’s who attempted to intervene was also cut in the arm during the struggle.
State Charges and Prior Criminal Background
In addition to the new federal indictment, Larsen faces prosecution in state court. The Salt Lake County District Attorney’s office charged Larsen in 3rd District Court with two counts of attempted aggravated murder as first-degree felonies—featuring potential hate crime penalty enhancements—and one count of being a prohibited person in possession of a weapon as a third-degree felony.
Prosecutors are additionally seeking to have Larsen classified as a habitual violent offender if convicted, which carries further sentencing enhancements. Court records indicate that Larsen is a multi-state offender with multiple felony convictions, including a 2022 armed standoff with police where he was shot, and was on parole at the time of the July 13 mall attack.
Federal and Local Officials Condemn Religious Hatred
Senior law enforcement and government officials issued strong condemnations following the federal indictment. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division stated that the administration prioritizes protecting civil rights and will not tolerate violence motivated by religious hatred. U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak for the District of Utah echoed that sentiment, emphasizing zero tolerance for hate-fueled violence and pledging the full force of federal law.
Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office noted that hate-fueled crimes send fear throughout an entire community and affirmed that the agency worked closely with partners to investigate the case thoroughly. Meanwhile, community leaders, interfaith figures, and law enforcement representatives gathered at a town hall hosted by the KUTV to address safety, combat hate crimes, and support the victim, who has publicly stated he holds no grudge against his attacker.