San Diego mosque shooting to be investigated as hate crime

Lead

Three men were killed in a shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday morning, an attack that police and federal authorities are investigating as a hate crime. The two attackers, both teenagers, died from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds shortly after the assault, according to police. The attack, which took place at the largest mosque in San Diego County, has prompted a large law enforcement response and expressions of solidarity from state officials.

Coverage comparison

The attack was reported by multiple international news outlets, including ABC Australia, Al Jazeera, BBC — World, Dawn, Deutsche Welle, and France 24 — English. While all reports agree on the core facts — that two teenage gunmen killed three people at the Islamic Center of San Diego before dying from self-inflicted gunshots, and that the incident is being investigated as a hate crime — there are some differences in the details provided.

All six outlets highlighted the hate crime investigation as the central angle, though some, such as ABC Australia, Dawn, and Deutsche Welle, attributed the attack more directly to hate rhetoric. Others, including Al Jazeera, BBC — World, and France 24 — English, noted that the causal factors were still under investigation.

There is minor variation in the reported ages of the suspects. Al Jazeera's report (as seen in one of its articles) lists the attackers as 17 and 19 years old, while other outlets, including Deutsche Welle and BBC — World, state the suspects were 17 and 18. This discrepancy is not resolved in the available reports.

Another point of divergence is the degree of detail about the victims. While all reports confirm three men were killed, some, such as Al Jazeera and Dawn, explicitly identify a security guard among the deceased, while others note the guard's role as reported by police. ABC Australia, BBC — World, and Deutsche Welle also mention the security guard's death in their accounts.

Key claims

The shooting occurred at the Islamic Center of San Diego, located about 14 kilometers (9 miles) from downtown San Diego. Police received a call about the shooting at approximately 11:43 a.m. local time and arrived within about four minutes, according to San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl.

Three men were killed in the attack. Among them was a security guard at the mosque, whose actions Wahl described as "heroic," noting that the guard "undoubtedly saved lives" and played a "pivotal role" in preventing the attack from being "much worse."

The two suspects, described as teenage males, were found dead in a vehicle stopped in the middle of a road nearby, with apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds. No officers fired their weapons during the response, Wahl said.

Prior to the attack, the mother of one of the suspects had called police at around 9:42 a.m. local time to report her son as a "runaway juvenile" who was suicidal and had taken several of her guns and her vehicle. She also said her son was with a companion, and both were dressed in camouflage.

A note left by the youth contained "generalized hate rhetoric and hate speech," according to Wahl. This, combined with the suspect's actions, led police to escalate the threat assessment. The investigation is being conducted with the assistance of the FBI.

A landscaper was shot at but not injured several blocks away from the mosque. Wahl said a bullet may have ricocheted off the landscaper's helmet, likely saving his life.

Children were present at a school within the mosque complex at the time of the attack. All children were reported safe and accounted for, according to authorities.

The imam of the Islamic Center, Taha Hassane, described the attack as "extremely outrageous to target a place of worship" and said the community had "never experienced tragedy like this before." He said the center promoted interfaith relations.

California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a statement saying he was "horrified" by the "violent attack." He said, "Worshippers anywhere should not have to fear for their lives" and that "hate has no place in California," vowing not to tolerate "acts of terror or intimidation against communities of faith." He also addressed the state's Muslim community: "California stands with you."

Perspectives

San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl — Chief Wahl provided most of the official details, including the timeline of events, the number of officers who responded, and the cause of the suspects' deaths. He emphasized that no officers fired their weapons and described the security guard's actions as heroic.

Imam Taha Hassane — The imam of the Islamic Center expressed shock and grief, calling the attack "extremely outrageous" and noting that the community had never experienced such a tragedy. He also stressed the center's commitment to interfaith relations.

California Governor Gavin Newsom — Governor Newsom reacted with horror to the attack, declaring that "hate has no place in California" and expressing solidarity with the state's Muslim community.