'Are you Muslim?' US shopping mall worker from India stabbed 15 times in alleged hate attack

According to court documents, 48-year-old Peter Michael Larsen told investigators he deliberately targeted the victim because he was Muslim and admitted that he "intends to kill Muslims."

The attack took place on Monday at Valley Fair Mall in West Valley City.

Authorities have charged Larsen with attempted murder and prohibited dangerous weapon conduct. He is currently being held at the Salt Lake County Jail.

Victim identified himself as Indian Muslim

Witnesses told the media that Larsen first struck up a conversation with the victim, identified by friends as Sohail, before asking where he was from and what religion he followed.

"He asked, 'Where are you from?' and Sohail replied, 'I'm from India, my name's Sohail.'

Larsen then asked, 'Are you Muslim?' Sohail said yes, and he just began stabbing him," nearby jewellery store employee Luna Nunez told ABC Salt Lake City.

Utah Islamic Center Imam Shuaib Din told the Salt Lake Tribune that Larsen had also asked Sohail for a bottle of water. As the victim turned to get it, the suspect allegedly pulled out a knife and attacked him.

A GoFundMe campaign launched by Nunez said Sohail suffered 15 stab wounds, underwent multiple surgeries and remains in critical condition.

Bystanders overpowered suspect

Before police arrived, several bystanders rushed to Sohail's aid, tackling Larsen and holding him down until officers reached the scene.

The suspect was treated for injuries sustained while being restrained before being taken into custody.

'There's no space for hate'

Friends and colleagues described Sohail as a devoted family man and the sole breadwinner for his wife and two young children.

"I know he doesn't have insurance. He's the only man working in his family. He has two babies and a wife, and they are not working right now," Nunez told KSL.

Sohail's manager, Adnan Mohammed, condemned the attack, saying, "This is just crazy. Hate crime, there's no space for hate."

He described Sohail as a hardworking employee who was recently promoted to manage operations.

"When you kill a human, you're not just killing one guy. You're killing a whole family," Mohammed said, adding in another interview, "I wish I was there to protect him. I would've given my life to protect him."

Recalling the horrifying moments, Nunez said she threw chairs, shoes and anything she could find in an attempt to stop the attack.

"He was stabbing him so viciously. I was scared for his life. I thought he was going to die," she said.

According to Nunez, other mall employees later told her Larsen had been walking around the shopping centre asking people about their religion before the stabbing.

The incident comes amid continued concerns raised by civil rights groups over a rise in anti-Muslim incidents in the United States, linked to factors including anti-immigration rhetoric, white supremacist activity and tensions surrounding the war in Gaza.