In a tragic turn of events, two young gunmen unleashed chaos at the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday, leaving three men dead before taking their own lives a short distance away. Authorities have announced that this disturbing incident is being treated as a hate crime. San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl shared these details during a news conference held at a park neighboring the mosque.
The initial distress call was received at 11:45 a.m., and within a mere four minutes, officers were on the scene. However, as they arrived, gunfire erupted again just blocks away. Fortunately, a landscaper targeted by the shooters was unharmed. The suspects were later discovered lifeless in a vehicle, stationary in the middle of a nearby road, Chief Wahl reported.
One of the victims, a dedicated security guard at the mosque, is believed to have significantly mitigated the potential severity of the attack, according to police accounts. His brave actions potentially prevented further loss of life during the assault.
The suspects, whose ages are reported as 17 and 19, appear to have died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Authorities have not yet released their identities. Chief Wahl mentioned that more details about the circumstances leading up to this shocking event will emerge in the coming days.
Among those killed was a mosque security guard, who police believe “played a pivotal role” in keeping the attack from being “much worse,” Wahl said.
Both suspects, ages 17 and 19, are dead from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds, police said. They have not yet been identified.
The center is the largest mosque in San Diego County and includes the Al Rashid School that offers courses in Arabic language, Islamic studies and the Quran for students ages 5 and up, according to its website.
“All of the kids are safe,” Wahl said, appearing emotional. “Our hearts go out to the families that are in this moment being notified of what has happened to their loved ones.”
Aerial TV footage showed more than a dozen children holding hands and being walked out of the parking lot of the center as it was surrounded by scores of police vehicles. The white mosque is in a neighborhood of homes, apartments and strip malls with Middle Eastern restaurants and markets.
Parents were directed to a nearby area to retrieve their children.
The mosque’s director, Imam Taha Hassane called it “extremely outrageous to target a place of worship.”
“All the places of worship in our beautiful city should always be protected,” he said.
He added that the center focused on interfaith relations and community building, and that a group of non-Muslims had been touring the mosque earlier Monday to learn about Islam.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations, one of the largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy groups in the U.S., condemned the shooting.
“No one should ever fear for their safety while attending prayers or studying at an elementary school,” said CAIR-San Diego Executive Director Tazheen Nizam in a statement. “We are working to learn more about this incident and we encourage everyone to keep this community in your prayers.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said he was being briefed.
“We are grateful to the first responders on the scene working to protect the community and urge everyone to follow guidance from local authorities,” his office posted on the social platform X.
Police departments in major cities across the country are monitoring the situation. In Southern California, the Los Angeles Police Department said there’s currently no known threat to L.A., but the department remains vigilant: “Out of an abundance of caution, we are providing extra patrols at mosques, Islamic centers, and all houses of worship across the City to ensure our communities are safe and feel supported.”
In New York City, the NYPD said there’s “no known nexus to NYC or specific threats to NYC houses of worship,” but the department said it is increasing officer deployments to mosques “out of an abundance of caution.”
The Chicago Police Department said in a statement that “while there is no actionable intelligence in Chicago, we are paying special attention to places of worship throughout the city out of an abundance of caution.”
The Islamic Center’s website says its mission is to not only serve the Muslim population but also “work with the larger community to serve the less fortunate, to educate, and to better our nation.” Five daily prayers are held there, and the mosque works with other organizations and people of all faiths on social causes.
Julie Watson with the Associated Press and ABC News contributed to this report.
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