3 victims killed, 2 teen suspects dead in San Diego Islamic center shooting
San Diego mosque shooting: 3 killed and both suspects dead
A shooting at a San Diego mosque on Monday killed three men, and two teenage suspects are also dead, the police chief said.
SAN DIEGO - Two teenage suspects are dead, and three adults were killed following a shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday, authorities said.
The FBI’s San Diego field office said the suspects were juveniles. San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl later identified the suspects as ages 17 and 19 and said both died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds.
Three adults, including a security guard, were killed in the attack at the center, Wahl said during a news conference at a neighborhood park across from the scene.
Police received reports around 11:43 a.m. of shots fired at the mosque in the 7000 block of Eckstrom Avenue, located in the Clairemont neighborhood about 9 miles north of downtown San Diego. At 1:06 p.m., the San Diego Police Department posted on social media that the "threat at the Islamic center has been neutralized."
Wahl said the case is currently being investigated as a hate crime, but did not provide further details.
Mosque and school campus
What we know:
Imam Taha Hassane, director of the Islamic center, said all students and staff members were safe.
The Islamic Center of San Diego is the largest mosque in San Diego County, according to its website. The campus also houses the Al Rashid School, which offers courses in Arabic language, Islamic studies and the Quran.
Aerial footage showed dozens of police vehicles surrounding the white-domed mosque and extending into nearby streets. Video also captured children holding hands as authorities escorted them from the center’s parking lot. Another image showed officers in tactical uniforms pointing rifles down an outdoor passageway near the school.
Officials established a family reunification site at 4125 Hathaway St.
Raw footage: San Diego active shooting reported at Islamic center
San Diego police are responding to an active shooter at the Islamic Center of San Diego.
Leaders respond
What they're saying:
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office said the governor was monitoring the situation.
"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.
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Standing next to the police chief at the news conference, Hassane said that a group of non-Muslims had been touring the mosque earlier in the day to learn about Islam.
According to its website, the Islamic center’s mission is not only to serve the Muslim population but also to "work with the larger community to serve the less fortunate, to educate, and to better our nation."
The mosque holds five daily prayers and frequently partners with organizations of all faiths on social causes.
The Source: This story was reported based on information from the San Diego Police Department, Gov. Gavin Newsom, the Islamic Center of San Diego, and San Diego Mayor Todd Garcia.