Three Fatalities in San Diego Mosque Shooting: FBI Investigates Suspected Hate Crime
Three individuals were killed in a shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, an incident which police believe was perpetrated by two teenage attackers. The assailants were subsequently found deceased from self-inflicted wounds a short distance from the mosque.
Police responded to the Islamic Center at 11:43 local time after reports of a shooting. They discovered three victims shot in front of the building. Among the deceased was a security guard at the centre, whom officials credit with preventing further casualties.
Shortly after, reports emerged of shots fired from a vehicle at a landscaper nearby. Upon arrival at the second scene, officers located the two suspects, aged 17 and 18, dead. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is treating the incident as a hate crime, citing "generalised hate rhetoric and hate speech" found in a note left by one of the suspects. The note, however, contained no specific threats to the mosque or individuals.
The mother of one of the suspects had previously alerted police that her son had left home with a companion, taking her guns and car, and that both were dressed in camouflage. Police Chief Scott Wahl stated that the suspects' behaviour was inconsistent with someone considered suicidal. Investigators had been searching for the teens at a local high school and a shopping mall prior to the attack.
Children were present at the Islamic Center campus, which also houses the Al Rashid School, when the incident unfolded. Aerial footage showed children being escorted from the premises as police responded. Nearby schools were placed on lockdown.
Imam Taha Hassane, director of the Islamic Center of San Diego, condemned the attack, stating, "It is extremely outrageous to target a place of worship." California Governor Gavin Newsom expressed horror at the violence, affirming that the state "will not tolerate acts of terror or intimidation against communities of faith."
