Two teenage gunmen opened fire on Monday at the Islamic Center of San Diego, California, killing a security guard and two other men outside the mosque before the suspects were found dead, apparently from self-inflicted gunshot wounds, police said.
Police said the suspects are believed to have killed three people inside the centre before being discovered dead in a car nearby. San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said officers quickly secured the scene and confirmed there is no ongoing threat to the public.
San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said local law enforcement and the FBI were investigating the attack on the largest mosque in San Diego County as a hate crime.
However, no precise motive or precipitating incident for the gun violence has been publicly suggested by authorities.
All of the children attending a day school at the mosque complex were accounted for and safe after the shooting, which erupted at about 11:40 a.m. PDT (1840 GMT), officials said.
At an evening news conference, Wahl disclosed that the mother of one of the two suspects had called police about two hours before the shooting to report that her son, whom she described as suicidal, had run away from home taking three guns she owned and her vehicle.
Two teenage suspects, aged 17 and 19, were later found dead inside a vehicle near the mosque, according to Mark Remily, special agent in charge of FBI San Diego, speaking at a news conference.
Authorities did not immediately release further details about a possible motive or how the suspects died, but confirmed they were linked to the attack.
According to chief Wahl, the mother said her son was with a companion and the two were dressed in camouflage. Police initiated efforts to track down the youths and were dispatching patrols to a nearby shopping mall and the son's high school as a precaution when calls came in reporting the mosque shooting.
The chief declined to disclose the contents of a note he said was found by the runaway's mother.
Prior to the shooting police were not made aware of any "specific threat" to the mosque or any religious centre, school, shopping area, or any other place, Wahl said.
Police instead were confronting a case of "generalised hate rhetoric and hate speech," which together with reports of a runaway teenager with multiple weapons wearing camouflage "triggered a much bigger threat assessment."
U.S. President Donald Trump described the shooting as a “terrible situation” after being briefed on developments.
Speaking to reporters at the White House, he said federal and local authorities were continuing to assess the incident.
“They're giving a briefing on it ...and it's a terrible situation. I've been given some early updates, but we're going to be going back and looking at it very strongly,” Trump said.
At a press conference, Imam Taha Hassane, Director of the Islamic Centre of San Diego, described the attack as “outrageous to target a place of worship.”
“I know it’s time of sorrow, time of sadness. We have never experienced a tragedy like this before. And at this moment, all what I can say is sending our prayers and standing in solidarity with all the families in our community here,” he said.
He stressed that places of worship must be protected. “It is extremely outrageous to target a place of worship,” he added.
Hassane said the centre is normally a place where people come to pray, learn and celebrate together. He also thanked law enforcement and officials for their response, saying they came to “stand in solidarity with us.”
Chief Scott Wahl said investigators are treating the shooting as a hate crime.
He said the centre’s status as a major place of worship in the region was part of the assessment as the investigation continues.
Officials have not yet provided further details on the evidence behind the classification.
Police initially said “the threat at the Islamic centre has been neutralised” after reports of an active shooter, with emergency teams rushing to the scene.
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said he was “aware of the active shooter situation” and thanked emergency personnel for their rapid response.
California Governor Gavin Newsom said he had been briefed on an “evolving situation”, with state agencies coordinating with local law enforcement.
A witness told CBS News that he heard up to 30 gunshots. “I first heard about a dozen shots, then a pause, then another possibly dozen shots,” he said.
He added that police arrived within “five to 10 minutes” after he called 911.
Nearby schools were placed on lockdown as police responded. Children were later escorted to safety through the mosque’s campus.
A reunification point was set up for parents to collect their children following the evacuation.
The Islamic Centre of San Diego is the largest mosque in the county, serving more than 5,000 members.
The campus also includes a school and community facilities aimed at education and outreach, according to its website.
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