Bay Area Prayers, Interfaith Support After Mosque Shooting

Bay Area Muslims returned to Friday prayers on May 22 under tighter concern after a deadly shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday, May 18. In San Jose, worshippers arriving at the Evergreen Islamic Center found Christians and Jews outside holding signs and standing in support. NBC Bay Area reported similar scenes at mosques around the region, after the South Bay-based Abrahamic Alliance urged people of other faiths to show up. City of San Diego officials said the San Diego attack killed three people and remained under investigation by local police and the FBI. ### Why were Bay Area mosques drawing interfaith supporters on Friday? The Abrahamic Alliance posted a call for a "Solidarity Stand with Muslims This Friday" after what it described as the "senseless shooting" at the San Diego Islamic Center on May 18. The group said supporters should gather outside local mosques during Friday prayers to offer condolences and visible support to Muslim worshippers. (nbcbayarea.com) NBC Bay Area reported that Christians and Jews stood outside Bay Area mosques, including the Evergreen Islamic Center in San Jose, as Muslims arrived for prayers. The station said the turnout followed outreach by the Abrahamic Alliance, a South Bay interfaith group. ### What happened in San Diego that prompted the response? San Diego police said officers received reports of an active shooter at about 11:43 a.m. on Monday, May 18, at the Islamic Center of San Diego in the Clairemont neighborhood. (abrahamicalliance.org) The City of San Diego's incident page said three people were killed and the investigation was continuing with the FBI. The Associated Press reported that two shooters were found dead from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds after the attack. (nbcbayarea.com) NBC News, in a separate account, said the killings intensified fears among religious communities already concerned about threats to houses of worship. ### Which Bay Area mosque was specifically identified? Evergreen Islamic Center in San Jose was one of the mosques identified in local coverage of Friday's response. (sandiego.gov) The mosque's website lists regular Friday, or Jumu'ah, prayers at its San Jose campus on Ruby Avenue. NBC Bay Area's report centered on worshippers entering Bay Area mosques for Friday prayers while supporters from other faiths waited outside. (apnews.com) The station said those supporters carried signs and stood in unity after the San Diego shooting earlier in the week. ### What were organizers and worshippers trying to convey? The Abrahamic Alliance said in its post that its message was condolence and solidarity with the Muslim community after the San Diego attack. (nbcbayarea.com) The group's language focused on grief, support and a public presence outside mosques during prayer time. NBC Bay Area said the Friday gatherings were meant to reassure worshippers and show that Muslims in the Bay Area were not facing the week alone. (nbcbayarea.com) That account came from local organizers and participants interviewed by the station. ### How broad was the response beyond San Jose? NBC Bay Area said Muslims walking into "different mosques throughout the Bay Area" were met by Christians and Jews holding signs. (abrahamicalliance.org) A separate NBC Bay Area video report said people of different backgrounds and religions also stood in solidarity in the East Bay after the San Diego shooting. Religion News Service reported that interfaith leaders and allies also gathered in San Diego in the hours after the attack, reflecting a wider response beyond one city or congregation. (nbcbayarea.com) ### What comes next in the San Diego case? The City of San Diego said on its official incident page that public updates would continue as confirmed information becomes available and as investigators avoid compromising the active case. (nbcbayarea.com) The page directs victims and families to support services while San Diego police and the FBI continue their work. Friday prayers at Evergreen Islamic Center and other Bay Area mosques were completed under that backdrop, with the next developments expected from law enforcement updates in San Diego and from the Muslim and interfaith groups that have organized vigils and solidarity events since May 18. (religionnews.com) (sandiego.gov)