Teen suspects fatally shoot three in suspected hate crime at San Diego mosque, say police

Two Teen Suspects Kill Three Men at San Diego Mosque Before Dying by Suicide, Police Report

San Diego police have released a timeline of a shooting on Monday morning in which two teenagers killed three men outside the Islamic Center of San Diego and then died by suicide several blocks away. Authorities are investigating the incident as a possible hate crime.

The attack occurred roughly two hours after the mother of one suspect contacted police to report that her son had left home with another person, taking several of her firearms and her vehicle. She described both individuals as wearing camouflage clothing and expressed concern that her son might be suicidal. Officers began searching for the pair and the vehicle.

Police responded to the Islamic Center at 11:43 a.m. local time after reports of gunfire. Officers found three men with gunshot wounds outside the front of the building. One victim was a security guard employed at the center. Officials stated that the guard’s actions limited the scope of the attack. San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said at a news conference that the guard’s conduct was heroic and that he had prevented additional casualties.

The three victims have not been publicly identified by name. A person familiar with the security guard told CBS News that he was a father of eight. No officers discharged their weapons during the response, according to Wahl.

Investigators have not determined a final motive. They have classified the attack as a suspected hate crime because it occurred at the largest mosque in San Diego County and because of writings recovered from one of the suspects. A note left by one of the teenagers contained generalized statements of animosity but did not name the mosque or any specific target or individual. Wahl noted that the suspects’ actions after leaving home were not consistent with the behavior typically associated with a suicide threat.

Officers recovered a petrol can bearing an SS sticker from the suspects’ vehicle, along with other items. This detail has been cited by investigators as additional material under examination in the hate-crime inquiry.

When the mosque shooting occurred, officers were still at the home of one suspect’s mother and were only a few blocks from the center. Upon arrival they entered the building and followed active-shooter procedures. While clearing rooms, they received reports of additional gunfire nearby. The two suspects had fired from their moving vehicle at a landscaper working in the area. The landscaper was not struck, though police said a round may have struck his hard hat; that account remains under verification.

Officers located the vehicle a short distance away and found both suspects, aged 17 and 18, dead from self-inflicted gunshot wounds. A witness who was at home nearby told CBS News he heard approximately 30 shots in two bursts separated by a pause and contacted emergency services. Police arrived within five to ten minutes, he said.

The Islamic Center campus includes the Al Rashid School, which provides religious and language instruction. Children were present in classrooms during the incident. Aerial footage showed students being escorted by the hand through a parking area while officers secured the site. Nearby schools were placed on lockdown as a precaution.

The FBI has asked the public for any information that may assist the ongoing investigation. Imam Taha Hassane, director of the Islamic Center of San Diego, said at a news conference that targeting a place of worship is unacceptable and described the facility as a house of worship rather than a site of conflict.

The attack took place days before Eid al-Adha. California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a statement expressing horror at the violence at a location where families gather and neighbors worship. He stated that the state does not tolerate acts of terror or intimidation directed at communities of faith.

President Donald Trump, asked about the incident during an unrelated White House event, described it as a terrible situation and said he had received early updates and would continue to monitor developments.

Police said the two suspects were students or recent students at a local high school. Investigators visited the school and a shopping mall where the vehicle had been tracked during the search. The full contents of the recovered note and other materials remain under laboratory and forensic review.