5 Dead in San Diego Mosque Shooting

San Diego police said two teenage gunmen opened fire at the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday, killing three adult men outside the mosque before the suspects were found dead in a vehicle nearby. Police Chief Scott Wahl said officers reached the center within minutes of a 911 call placed at 11:43 a.m. and found three victims dead, including a security guard at the mosque. The two suspects, ages 17 and 18, were later found in a car a few blocks away with what police described as apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds. The FBI joined the investigation, which Wahl said is being handled as a hate crime while authorities work to establish motive. ### How did the shooting unfold outside the Islamic Center? The Islamic Center of San Diego in Clairemont was the scene of the attack shortly before noon on May 18, according to police and local media reports. Wahl said officers responding to the mosque also began receiving calls about gunfire a couple of blocks away, where a landscaper was shot at but was not believed to have been seriously injured. Police then located a vehicle stopped in the street nearby and found the two suspects dead inside. (kpbs.org) Reuters reported that the three men killed were affiliated with the mosque and were found outside the center. Taha Hassane, the imam and director of the Islamic Center, told reporters, "We have never experienced a tragedy like this before," and said it was "extremely outrageous to target a place of worship." Authorities said all children attending a day school at the mosque complex were accounted for and safe after the shooting. (kpbs.org) ### What have police said about the victims and the security guard? Scott Wahl said one of the three men killed was a security guard at the center. At a Monday briefing, Wahl said the guard appeared to have played a "pivotal role" in preventing the attack from becoming worse. He called the guard's actions heroic and said, "Undoubtedly he saved lives today." (usnews.com) ABC News reported that one additional person suffered a non-firearm-related injury while responding to the incident and was taken to Sharp Memorial Hospital. Police said the three people killed at the mosque were adult men. Authorities had not publicly released all of their names by Monday night. ### What do investigators know about the two suspects? (abcnews.com) San Diego police said the suspected shooters were 17 and 18 years old. Reuters and KPBS reported that about two hours before the shooting, the mother of one suspect called police to report that her son had run away, was believed to be suicidal, had taken her vehicle and firearms, and was with another teen dressed in camouflage. Wahl said police began dispatching officers to locations they believed could be threatened before the mosque shooting was reported. (abcnews.com) ABC News reported that anti-Islamic writings were found in the suspects' vehicle, citing sources, and Wahl said there was "definitely hate rhetoric" involved. Reuters reported that police had not identified a precise motive or precipitating incident and said officers had not been warned of any specific threat to the mosque before the shooting. (kpbs.org) ### Why are police calling it a hate-crime investigation? Scott Wahl said the attack is being investigated as a hate crime because it targeted the Islamic Center of San Diego, the largest mosque in San Diego County. KPBS reported that Wahl said authorities would treat the case that way unless evidence showed otherwise. The FBI said it was also investigating. (abcnews.com) Mayor Todd Gloria appeared with faith leaders and police on Monday and said the city would do "anything it takes" to make the Muslim community feel safe. CAIR-San Diego Executive Director Tazheen Nizam said in a statement that the group condemned the attack and was thinking of everyone affected. (kpbs.org) ### What happens next in the investigation? The FBI and San Diego Police Department were still processing the crime scenes on May 18 and interviewing witnesses, according to officials. Wahl said the circumstances leading up to the shooting would come out in the days ahead as investigators reviewed evidence from the mosque, the nearby vehicle and earlier police contacts involving one suspect. (kpbs.org) San Diego officials said further updates would come from police briefings as victim identifications, forensic work and witness interviews continue. The next public details are expected from the San Diego Police Department and federal investigators as the hate-crime investigation proceeds. (kpbs.org) (usnews.com)