Three Adult Men Killed, Two Teenage Suspects Dead Following Mass Shooting at Islamic Center of San Diego

A horrifying active shooter situation unfolded at the Islamic Center of San Diego in the Clairemont neighborhood on Monday, leaving three adult victims and two teenage suspects dead. Local and federal law enforcement agencies are currently investigating the mass shooting as a suspected hate crime.

The San Diego Police Department began receiving a flurry of 911 calls at approximately 11:43 a.m. regarding active gunfire at the mosque located in the 7000 block of Eckstrom Avenue. Officers arrived at the scene within four minutes, immediately discovering the bodies of three adult men out in front of the facility. According to mosque director and imam Taha Hassane, the deceased victims included an armed security guard and two staff members of the Islamic school located on the center's grounds. Officials credited the security guard with playing a pivotal role in preventing the attackers from penetrating deeper into the building.

Around the same time as the initial shooting, police received separate reports of gunfire several blocks away, where a landscaper was targeted but fortunately escaped unharmed. Between 50 and 100 heavily armed law enforcement officers swarmed the complex, breaching doors and conducting a meticulous room-by-room sweep to secure the mosque and its attached Al Rashid Weekend School. All students, teachers, and staff members present were successfully evacuated without physical injury. By 1:07 p.m., the department announced that the active threat had been officially neutralized.

San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl confirmed that the two suspected shooters, identified as young males aged 17 and 19, were found dead inside a vehicle discovered in the middle of a nearby street. Chief Wahl stated that both perpetrators appeared to have died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Sources close to the active investigation indicated that authorities discovered anti-Islamic writings, a suicide note referencing racial pride, and hate-related phrases inscribed directly onto one of the firearms used in the attack. Given the location and preliminary evidence, police are handling the massacre as a hate crime.

In the aftermath of the violence, emergency personnel shut down several off-ramps from Interstate 805 to Balboa Avenue, and a reunification point was established for families at a nearby Seventh-day Adventist Church. San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria expressed deep condolences to the local Muslim community, promising that no resources would be spared in ensuring the protection of all local religious institutions. California Governor Gavin Newsom also issued a statement condemning the horrific act of terror and violence, reiterating that hate has no place in the state.

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