Three men were killed in a shooting at a mosque in San Diego on Monday, while two teenage suspects were also found dead, as investigators launched a hate crime probe into the attack.
Among those killed was a security guard at the Islamic Center of San Diego, San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said during a press briefing held at a neighborhood park across from the mosque, Associated Press reported.
Police have not yet disclosed further details regarding the motive behind the attack, but Wahl said the case is being treated as a hate crime investigation.
Television aerial footage showed more than a dozen children being escorted out of the mosque parking lot while holding hands, as a heavy police presence surrounded the area.
The Islamic Center of San Diego, regarded as the largest mosque in San Diego County, also houses the Al Rashid School, which offers classes in Arabic, Islamic studies and the Quran for children aged five and above, according to information on the institution’s website.
The white-colored mosque is situated in a residential neighborhood lined with apartments, homes and strip malls, including several Middle Eastern restaurants and markets.
Standing alongside the police chief during the briefing, Imam Taha Hassane said the mosque had long focused on interfaith engagement and community outreach efforts. He noted that a group of non-Muslim visitors had toured the mosque earlier on Monday to learn more about Islam, AP reported.
According to the Islamic Center’s website, its mission extends beyond serving the Muslim community and includes efforts to “work with the larger community to serve the less fortunate, to educate, and to better our nation.”
The mosque hosts five daily prayers and frequently collaborates with people and organizations from different faiths on social causes.
California Governor Gavin Newsom has been briefed on the shooting, his office said.
“We are grateful to the first responders on the scene working to protect the community and urge everyone to follow guidance from local authorities,” the governor’s office said in a post on X.
