Photo of the victim Syed Sohail Uddin from dynamitenew.com
Police at Valley Fair Mall, outside Salt Lake City, Utah, said that Peter Michael Larsen approached a kiosk employee, asked about his religion, and then repeatedly stabbed him after learning he was Muslim. According to police and court documents, the suspect later told investigators that he had targeted the victim because of his religion and said he "intends to kill Muslims."
The victim survived after emergency surgery, and bystanders intervened, disarmed the suspect, and restrained him until police arrived. Prosecutors are pursuing attempted murder and related charges, and officials are treating the case as a suspected hate crime.
The attack occurred on Monday afternoon when the suspect, 48-year-old Michael Larsen, approached a kiosk worker inside the mall, asked personal questions, and then stabbed him 15 times. The victim, identified as Syed Sohail Uddin, was working at a jewelry kiosk at the time, according to the Times of India.
https://x.com/Mrgunsngear/status/2076868007528104178?s=20
Authorities say the incident is being investigated as a religion-motivated attack, with the suspect admitting that he targeted the victim because he was Muslim. The Salt Lake Tribune reported that the victim was hospitalized in critical condition and is expected to face a long recovery.
Condemnation of the attack came from many quarters:
- Utah Governor Spencer Cox publicly condemned the Valley Fair Mall stabbing in West Valley City, Utah.
- The Utah Muslim Civic League also condemned the attack, calling it a hate crime in a statement released Tuesday.
- Many mainstream media publications and television news networks reported on the attack.
- The Executive Director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said in a statement:
"This horrific attack is yet another reminder that anti-Muslim rhetoric has real-world consequences. When Muslims are routinely demonized, portrayed as threats, or treated as less deserving of equal rights and dignity, some twisted individuals inevitably act on that hatred."
Source: Mallet News.
President Trump, Elon Musk, and many U.S. public officials who never miss an opportunity to condemn Muslim violence remained deaf, mute, and blind to this vicious mall stabbing, as if a Muslim life were worthless.
I could not find any verified report that President Trump posted on Truth Social or X about this Utah mall stabbing. I also could not find evidence that Elon Musk commented on this tragic attack. That's what I call hypocrisy at its peak.
Republican Lawmakers' Anti-Muslim Rhetoric Inspires Violence
Anti-Muslim rhetoric and extreme language by some Republican lawmakers and candidates seeking public office incite fear and hatred while helping generate votes and campaign donations from their supporters. Here are some examples:
- In January, Representative Keith Self (R-TX) posted on X: "Sharia law stands in direct conflict with a core American belief: that all people are created equal."
- U.S. Representative Randy Fine, who identifies himself as the "Jewish Hammer," recently said, "If they force us to choose between dogs and Muslims, it is not a difficult one." In another post, he wrote: "Deport them all."
- Last October, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) introduced legislation aimed at banning Sharia law in the United States, citing national security concerns and constitutional protections.
- In March of this year, Trump's adviser and other MAGAts supporters called for "rounding up" and deporting "all Muslims" after the U.S.-Israel attack on Iran.
Meanwhile, in Utah, a friend of the victim created a GoFundMe page after the victim underwent multiple surgeries. The friend added, "I know he does not have insurance. He is the only one in the family working, and he and his wife have two little children."
Finally, I respectfully ask readers to join me in praying that Allah, the Almighty, watches over the victim, keeps him safe, eases his pain, and restores his health quickly. Amen.
Mahmoud El-Yousseph is a Palestinian freelance writer and retired U.S. Air Force veteran. He writes about U.S. foreign policy, Middle East affairs, and justice.