5 killed including two suspects in a San Diego shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego
A security guard credited with saving lives was among the dead. Hate speech was found scrawled on one of the weapons, and a suicide note containing writings about racial pride were recovered
Three people were killed Monday in a shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, the largest mosque in San Diego County. Two teenage suspects, aged 17 and 19, were found dead from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds in a vehicle stopped nearby.
One of the suspects took three weapons from his mother's home before the attack. His mother told the authorities that her son and car were missing along with several of her weapons. Hate speech was scrawled on one of the weapons, and a suicide note containing writings about racial pride was recovered. All of this, according to law enforcement officials.
San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said the FBI was called in to assist and that authorities were treating the incident as a hate crime. Police responded within four minutes of receiving the call. No shots were fired by law enforcement.
One of the three victims was a security guard who was a father of eight. Chief Wahl said the guard "saved lives" and "played a pivotal role" in preventing further bloodshed.
All children attending the Bright Horizon Academy, a day school housed within the mosque complex, were accounted for and safe. The attack erupted shortly before noon, one week before the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha.
The mosque's director, Imam Taha Hassane called it "extremely outrageous to target a place of worship." California Governor Gavin Newsom said he was "horrified" by the attack, adding: "Hate has no place in California, and we will not tolerate acts of terror or intimidation against communities of faith."
This is a developing story