A shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego left three people dead Monday, with federal authorities treating the incident as a hate crime. Two suspects, aged 17 and 19, were found dead from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds, officials confirmed.
The violence erupted shortly before midday prayer at the Clairemont-area mosque, the largest in San Diego County. One of the three victims was a security guard at the center. Police confirmed that children attending the facility's school were unharmed, and officials established a reunification center for affected families.
"This is every community's worst nightmare," San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said in the immediate aftermath.
Mayor Todd Gloria addressed the community Monday afternoon, emphasizing that the immediate threat had been contained. "Children are safe, and that is a good thing," he said, adding that his office was committed to ensuring the Muslim community felt protected. "To our local Muslim community, my prayers are with you. I want to assure our Muslim community that we will do everything it takes to make sure that you can feel safe in this city."
Taha Hassane, an imam and director of the center, called the targeting of a place of worship "extremely outrageous." He expressed shock at the tragedy, saying the community had never experienced such violence before.
Mark Remily of the FBI said investigators found no evidence that law enforcement officers fired weapons during the incident. The bureau has opened a tip line seeking information from the public as it pursues the hate crime investigation.
Victims were being treated at Sharp Memorial Hospital, according to a hospital spokesperson. The Governor's Office of Emergency Services coordinated with local law enforcement following a briefing with Gov. Gavin Newsom's office.
The shooting prompted heightened security measures across the country. The New York Police Department announced it was increasing deployments to mosques throughout the city "out of an abundance of caution," though officials noted no specific threats had been identified against New York houses of worship.
Author James Rodriguez: "Places of worship deserve protection, not violence, and this attack on a community at prayer should wake us up to the reality of hate crime in America."
Comments