Federal prosecutors charge Utah man after alleged religion-based mall stabbing.
A Utah man has been charged with a federal hate crime after prosecutors said he attacked a Muslim man with a knife at a shopping mall in West Valley City. Peter Larsen, 48, of Orem, was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 12 in connection with the July 13 attack at West Valley Mall. According to federal court documents, police were called to the mall after receiving reports of the stabbing. Officers found the victim with several stab wounds, including injuries to his neck.
Prosecutors said Larsen went to the mall with the intention of finding Muslims to attack. According to the indictment, he bought a knife from a store inside the shopping center and then approached mall employees, asking whether they were Muslim. Larsen attacked the victim after the man said that he was Muslim. The victim, who was not identified by his name in the department’s announcement, suffered multiple stab wounds during the incident. The attack reportedly ended only when people nearby stepped in and held Larsen until police arrived. Larsen has remained in state custody since his arrest on July 13.
Federal officials said the case sends a strong message to the public that attacks based on a person’s faith can lead to serious criminal charges. Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division thanked law enforcement officers and the people who stepped in during the attack. U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak for the District of Utah also spoke about the case, expressing concern for the victim and his family. She described the attack as an example of violence directed at a person because of religion and said federal prosecutors would pursue the case.
Robert Bohls, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Salt Lake City office, said the effects of a hate-motivated attack can extend well beyond the person who was injured in the attack. Such incidents can cause fear among others who share the victim’s faith, he said. The FBI plans to continue working with local authorities as the case moves forward. If Larsen is convicted of the federal charge, he could face a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The case comes as law enforcement agencies continue to address crimes in which victims are targeted because of their religion. Federal hate crime laws can apply when prosecutors can establish that a person’s faith or perceived faith was a reason for the attack. Such laws are intended to hold perpetrators accountable when bias or prejudice plays a role in a criminal act. Investigators often examine statements, evidence and other circumstances surrounding an incident to determine whether religious bias may have been a factor.
In the current mall hate crime case, the victim’s condition and recovery were not fully shared with the public at the time of the Department of Justice’s official announcement. Federal officials said their thoughts remain with the victim and the victim’s family during this period of recovery as the legal case proceeds. The case is expected to continue in federal court in Utah.
Sources:
Utah Man Indicted on Hate Crime Charge for Stabbing at West Valley Mall
Man accused of stabbing West Valley City mall employee indicted for hate crime
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