Police rushed to the Islamic Center of San Diego late Monday morning following reports of an active shooter.
Minutes after being dispatched, around noon, officers found three adults dead in front of the center, San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said, according to NBC News.
Wahl said one of the victims was a security guard who “played a pivotal role” in preventing more bloodshed. A landscaper working nearby was shot at but was not injured.
The two teenage suspects, believed to be 17 and 19, appear to have died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds, Wahl said during a briefing streamed live by ABC News.
Police are still investigating a motive, but officials are treating the shooting as a hate crime “until it’s not,” Wahl said, according to The Associated Press. The victims’ identities have not been released to the public as authorities are still notifying families and loved ones. No other deaths or injuries have been reported.
Wahl praised the rapid response and high volume of law enforcement response.
“Every single police officer available throughout our county that dropped what they’re doing and did exactly what they’re trained to do — run toward gunfire,” Wahl said.
The mosque’s imam, Taha Hassane, also spoke at the briefing, saying it was “extremely outrageous to target a place of worship.”
Hassane had posted a video to social media earlier confirming that teachers, students and staff in the mosque during the shooting were safe.
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and California Gov. Gavin Newsom both posted on X that they were aware of and monitoring the situation.
Following the shooting, the Los Angeles Police Department announced increased patrols around houses of worship in LA, about two hours north of San Diego. Police said there is currently no known threat to Los Angeles, NBC News reported.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement that she was “outraged and heartbroken” by the attack.
A White House official said President Donald Trump has been briefed on the shooting but has not issued a formal comment.
The Islamic Center is the largest mosque in San Diego County, hosting daily prayers, regular seminars and an Islamic school on its grounds.
