The two suspects, ages 17 and 18, were later found several blocks away dead of apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds, according to officials. Here’s what we know.
SAN DIEGO – INVESTIGATION ONGOING Two teenagers shoot and kill three people Monday around noon PT at the Islamic Center of San Diego.
The two suspected shooters, ages 17 and 18, were later found several blocks away dead of apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds, according to officials. Here’s what we know so far.
Who is the suspect involved in this fatal shooting?
Officials have not released the identities of the teenagers involved in the mosque shooting, but said they are believed to be men aged 17 and 18.
Earlier Monday, around 9:42 a.m., the 17-year-old boy’s mother contacted authorities to inquire about her son, according to school district officials. Her son has been attending the San Diego Unified School District’s iHigh Virtual Academy since 2021. He wrestled as an extracurricular activity at Madison High School from 2024-25 but was never admitted to the high school.
Officials then alerted the school. The mother said her teenage son was a runaway. As she tried to piece together what happened with her son, she discovered several of her weapons and car were missing. She believed her son was suicidal.
San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said she told police her son was with a “fellow companion” and that they were both wearing camouflage uniforms.
License plate readers were used to track vehicles, and police initially believed the nearby Fashion Valley shopping center was under threat.
While officers were searching for the mother, officers received a call about a shooter inside the mosque at 11:43 a.m. and officers were on the scene within four minutes, Wahl said. He also said that all police officers in the county dropped what they were doing and ran towards the sound of gunfire.
Two gunmen were found dead blocks away after killing three men at an Islamic centre. They died of self-inflicted gunshot wounds, Wahl said.
what happened?
Two gunmen shot and killed three victims Islamic Center in San Diego around noon Monday near Balboa Avenue.
Two gunmen killed themselves before killing three men. San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said the shooting is being investigated as a hate crime. It is the largest mosque in San Diego County and serves as a place of worship and a school.
“This is every community’s worst nightmare,” Wahl said. “There are no further threats. Both suspects in this case are deceased. All children are safe.”
The shooting victims are believed to be adult males, one of whom was a security guard. At this time, law enforcement has not identified the victim. No children were harmed.
Wahl said police received a report of a gunman inside the mosque at 11:43 a.m. and arrived at the scene within four minutes. He also said that all police officers in the county dropped what they were doing and ran towards the sound of gunfire.
As police responded to the initial call of shots fired, they received a separate call of shots fired a few blocks away. A landscaper was shot but the helmet he was wearing took the brunt of the blow and saved his life.
“There is no specific threat to the Islamic center,” Wahl said. “It’s more common.”
The FBI also rushed to the scene and conducted an investigation.
Special Agent in Charge Mark Remilli said the agency is “carefully assessing the situation” and “will work relentlessly until the truth is known.”
“No community should have to experience such a tragic event,” Remilli said at a news conference.
The public in surrounding communities is advised to shelter in place at home and avoid the area. Some schools in the area were temporarily closed, according to parents.
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria also spoke at the press conference. Gloria said he prays for San Diego’s Muslim community and that such events are the city’s “budget.”
“We will spare no effort to ensure that our religious institutions are protected,” Gloria said.
President Donald Trump was briefed on the shooting, calling it “a horrific situation.”
The Islamic Center of San Diego posted on Instagram, “All children and teachers have been evacuated and are safe. Please stay away from the ICSD campus at this time to keep us and the community vigilant.”
Meanwhile, Imam Taha Hasan, director of the Islamic Center of San Diego, begged the media and the public to respect the privacy of the family.
“Let the family grieve. Let them pray. Just like we do at the Islamic Center of San Diego,” he said. “This is a chapel; this is not a battlefield.”
This story is developing and may be updated.
