Highlights:
- Indian national Syed Sohailuddin stabbed 15 times inside a Utah shopping mall.
- Suspect allegedly asked about the victim’s religion before launching the attack.
- Police say accused admitted targeting the victim over his Muslim faith.
- Victim underwent surgery; Indian Consulate is providing consular assistance.
- Muslim leaders cite rising Islamophobia and anti-Muslim incidents in the US.
AN INDIAN man was allegedly stabbed 15 times inside a shopping mall in the US state of Utah after a suspect questioned him about his religion, according to media reports.
The victim, Syed Sohailuddin, who worked at Valley City Mall in West Valley City, Utah, was allegedly attacked on Monday (13) afternoon by Peter Michael Larsen, Fox 13 News reported. According to the report, Larsen asked Sohailuddin about his religion before the attack.
Larsen was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and carrying a prohibited dangerous weapon. According to court records cited by ABC News, the suspect told police he targeted the employee over his religious beliefs.
Sohailuddin was taken to a hospital, where he underwent surgery. Larsen was also hospitalized after suffering injuries when people at the scene punched him in the head while trying to stop the alleged assault.
The Consulate General of India in San Francisco said it was deeply saddened by the stabbing incident involving an Indian national in Utah.
“The Consulate is in close contact with the friends and family and stands ready to provide all possible consular assistance. We remain engaged with local authorities and will continue to monitor the matter closely,” the Consulate said in a post on X.
According to law enforcement officials, Larsen said that “he believes he is a catalyst and he intends to kill Muslims.” An affidavit filed by the authorities in court said releasing Larsen from jail would be dangerous, “based on his violent actions today” and his ideologies.
A witness told FOX 13 News that he was working inside a nearby store when he heard shouting and saw people running away from the area where the alleged stabbing had taken place.
Luna Nunez, who works with Sohailuddin, said the suspect first approached the victim, who was working at a mall kiosk, and asked where he was from, his name and whether he was Muslim before attacking him.
Nunez was recalling the conversation she had with Sohailuddin when she visited him in the hospital.
Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill, whose office is deciding whether to pursue charges, declined to comment on the case.
“We don’t want to say anything else until we receive the results of the investigation,” Gill said in a statement.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Muslim advocacy group, called on elected officials to reject antiMuslim rhetoric.
The New York Times quoted Imam Shuaib Din, who leads the Utah Islamic Centre, a mosque Sohailuddin has attended, as saying there has been a spike in harassment, threats and violence against Muslims in Utah since the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas against Israel.
But Monday’s attack, he added, “has been the worst attack on a member of our community” in the state.
According to The New York Times, Islamophobia is rising in the US.
