A tragic shooting unfolded at a California mosque on Monday, resulting in the death of a security guard, as two gunmen opened fire at the scene.
The two unidentified attackers, who reportedly succumbed to self-inflicted gunshot wounds, were found at the Islamic Center of San Diego in Claremont around 11:40 a.m. PT, according to law enforcement officials.
Responding officers arrived swiftly, within four minutes, and discovered the lifeless body of the guard along with two other victims outside the building, as detailed by San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl during a press briefing.
Authorities identified the shooters as teenagers, aged 17 and 19, who were located deceased in a nearby vehicle.
The incident resulted in a total of five fatalities, including the two young assailants and three adults.
“Given the location of the Islamic center, we are treating this as a potential hate crime until proven otherwise,” Chief Wahl stated, before introducing Mark Remily, the FBI special agent leading the investigation.
Remily said that the two shooters are ‘teenagers’, but did not provide further details.
Multiple people were taken to hospital after shots rang out, NBC News reported. The extent of their injuries is unknown.
A security guard was killed at the Islamic Center of San Diego in Claremont around 11.40am PT on Monday after two gunmen opened fire. The assailants were killed by police
Panicked adults outside the school after shots rang out. The number of injuries is unknown
Crowds of students are evacuated from the site, which is home to Al Rashid school
An official at Sharp Memorial Hospital told the outlet that they have activated their disaster protocols and are continuing to wait for more patients.
The imam of the mosque confirmed that no children were injured during the shooting.
The Muslim place of worship is also home to the Al Rashid school, which was formerly known as the Islamic School of San Diego.
‘The entire school is safe. All the kids, all the staff and the teachers are safe out of the Islamic Center,’ Imam Taha Hassane said in a Facebook video update.
‘We have a few casualties, not confirmed yet. There is no threat at this moment, but we want everyone to stay away from the Islamic Center of San Diego.’
Crowds of young students were seen being evacuated from the building by law enforcement officers.
Panicked parents rushed to the scene to pick up their children after police set up a reunification site at San Diego Clairemont Seventh-Day Adventist Church.
Several people were seen on the phone trying to get answers about what happened while a woman was seen crouching down outside the mosque as the terror unfolded.
Panicked parents arrived at the scene to retrieve their children
Aerial footage also captured a sheet covering what appeared to be a body on the ground outside the building.
Around 4pm, police said the threat ‘has been neutralized.’
‘We have significant resources on scene at this time,’ the agency added.
Authorities have urged the public to avoid the area, and have shut down parts of Interstate 805 near Balboa Avenue.
A shelter was also initiated for locals in the area.
Following reports of the shooting, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria issued a statement on X.
‘I am aware of the active shooter situation at the Islamic Center of San Diego in Clairemont and am continuing to receive updates from law enforcement.
‘Emergency personnel are on scene and actively working to protect the community and secure the area.’
California Governor Gavin Newsom also acknowledged the shooting, writing: ‘We are grateful to the first responders on the scene working to protect the community and urge everyone to follow guidance from local authorities.’
An armed police officer outside the mosque. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) confirmed that a member of the Islamic center died in the gunfire
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) confirmed that a member of the Islamic center died.
‘To God we belong, and to God we return. We have learned from @CAIRSanDiego that at least one person was killed by a shooter at the Islamic Center of San Diego today.
‘May Allah grant him the highest rank of Paradise and protect everyone from harm. No one should ever fear for their safety while attending prayers or studying at an elementary school. We are working to learn more about this incident and we encourage everyone to keep this community in your prayers.’
The Islamic Center of San Diego is the largest mosque in San Diego County, with around 5,000 members.
