Published Jul 21, 2026 | 10:04 AM ⚊ Updated Jul 21, 2026 | 10:04 AM
Syed Sohailuddin was stabbed at least 15 times before passersby overpowered the assailant.
Synopsis: US citizen Peter Michael Larsen stabbed Sohailuddin 15 times because he believed he was a catalyst and he intended to kill Muslims. Utah police have opposed releasing him from jail, saying it would be dangerous considering his violent actions and his ideology.
The family of Hyderabad-native Syed Sohailuddin, stabbed in a suspected anti-Muslim hate crime in Utah, US, has made an urgent appeal to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, seeking his help to secure emergency visas to travel to the United States.
Sohailuddin, originally from Tolichowki, has been working at a kiosk in Valley Fair Mall, West Valley City, for over two years. He was attacked at the mall on Tuesday, 14 July, by a man identified as Peter Michael Larsen, 48.
Reports suggest that Larsen, now under arrest, approached Sohailuddin, asked about his religion, and then stabbed him at least 15 times before bystanders snatched away the knife and restrained him.
Larsen reportedly told investigators that he stabbed Sohailuddin because “he believes he is a catalyst and he intends to kill Muslims.”
Sohailuddin’s family spoke to the media on Monday, 20 July, and appealed to Minister Jaishankar to help them with emergency visas to visit him in the US.
Sohailuddin’s father, Abdullah, said his son was in a critical condition.
“My son is in a critical condition. We want to go there and support him. He is unable to speak. He has difficulty breathing. My daughter is currently at the Indian embassy office to request them for help,” he said.
Amjed Ullah Khan, spokesperson for the Hyderabad-based Majlis Bachao Tahreek (MBT), met with the family and wrote to Minister Jaishankar.
In his letter, Khan asked the Ministry to direct the Indian Embassy in Washington and consular officials to make contact with Sohailuddin, his family and the treating hospital, and to ensure the case is pursued as a religiously motivated hate crime.
He also urged the government to press US authorities to ensure the safety of Indian nationals and minority communities, and to secure emergency humanitarian visas for two of Sohailuddin’s relatives, his brother-in-law, Mohammed Asmath, and sister-in-law, Asma Firdouse, so they could travel to be with the family during the crisis.
Sohailuddin, who lives in Utah with his wife Amreen Firdouse and their two children, remains hospitalised. He has already undergone surgery to repair damaged tendons and veins in his hand, with doctors also monitoring his heart.
Salt Lake County prosecutors charged Larsen on 17 July with two first-degree felony counts of attempted aggravated murder. Both counts carry hate crime penalty enhancements.
Larsen also faces a third-degree felony charge of possessing a dangerous weapon as a previously convicted felon. Prosecutors noted he allegedly cut a second man who tried to intervene.
Citing Larsen’s violent history and the ideology he believes in, the authorities opposed releasing him, stating that it would be “dangerous”.
Larsen was on parole for a previous violent felony when he attacked Sohailuddin.
