San Diego Mosque Shooting Leaves Multiple Dead and Injured

San Diego Mosque Shooting Investigation Ongoing

A shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday resulted in the deaths of three men, according to police. Two teenage gunmen opened fire at the mosque, killing themselves after also fatally shooting the victims.

The San Diego Police Department is investigating the incident as a possible hate crime. Police Chief Scott Wahl stated that investigators are still gathering information and will provide more details in the coming days.

The attack occurred on Monday morning, approximately two hours after police received a report of a “runaway juvenile.” The mother who made the call reported that her son was suicidal and had missing weapons and a vehicle. Officers responded to reports of an active shooter at the mosque around 11:43am local time and entered the complex with over 100 law enforcement officers.

Inside the building, police found three people dead outside and breached doors to enter rooms. No officers discharged their weapons during the incident. Firearm discharge was reported a few blocks away, where a landscaper was shot but not injured.

The suspected attackers were later found dead inside a vehicle stopped on a nearby road. Television aerial footage showed children being escorted from the mosque’s car park while police secured the area.

According to officials, the mosque serves over 5,000 people and houses Al Rashid School, which offers classes in Arabic, Islamic studies, and the Quran for children aged five and older. The mosque describes its mission as serving the religious needs of San Diego’s Muslim community while also supporting and educating the wider public.

The incident occurred just before the start of the Eid al-Adha holiday and the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

Source: Al Jazeera