Police in San Diego say two teenage gunmen opened fire at the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday, killing three adult males including a security guard. The shooting occurred around 1 p.m. local time at the center located approximately nine miles north of downtown San Diego. The site also houses a school. After the attack, officers found the two suspects—believed to be 17 and 19 years old—dead from apparent self-inflicted gunshots. Authorities say they are treating the shooting as a hate crime until proven otherwise.
Children were present at the facility during the attack. San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl described the scene at an afternoon press conference, expressing gratitude for officers who responded to protect students evacuating the building. 'I cannot express the gratitude, the willingness to step into harm's way, and I tell you what got me, watching the kids come running out just thankful to be alive,' Wahl said.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive advocacy groups and Democratic officials called for swift action to protect religious institutions following the attack. Imam Taha Hassane spoke at the press conference, describing the community's grief: 'We have never experienced a tragedy like this before. It is extremely outrageous to target a place of worship. Our Islamic Center is a place of worship. People come to the Islamic Center to pray, to celebrate, to learn, not only Muslims, but we have people from all walks of life.' Civil rights organizations pointed to FBI data showing an increase in hate crimes targeting Muslim Americans in recent years and called for enhanced security resources at mosques and other faith-based community centers.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservative leaders praised the rapid response by law enforcement and emphasized the importance of places of worship maintaining security protocols. Republican officials noted that houses of worship have increasingly become targets for violence and urged communities to work with local police on threat assessment and emergency preparedness. Some conservative commentators argued that enhanced security measures, including armed guards like the one killed in Monday's attack, represent a necessary deterrent against such incidents.
What the Numbers Show
According to FBI hate crime statistics, religious institutions have experienced an increase in reported incidents over the past several years. The San Diego Islamic Center had not previously reported any threats to law enforcement authorities, according to officials familiar with the matter. The shooting follows a March attack on a synagogue outside Detroit in which a man drove a truck into the building before dying in a confrontation with security guards. Federal hate crime charges remain among the most serious penalties available to prosecutors when cases meet legal thresholds.
The Bottom Line
The Islamic Center of San Diego remains cordoned off as investigators process the scene. The FBI has joined local authorities in the investigation. Family notifications are ongoing. Authorities have not identified a motive and say the investigation could take weeks to complete. Community leaders across religious denominations issued statements condemning violence against places of worship, noting that houses of worship should remain sanctuaries free from fear.