A shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, home to the largest mosque in San Diego County, left five people dead on Monday morning, including two teenage suspects who died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds, authorities said.
The violence erupted shortly before noon prayers at the Clairemont-area facility. Three victims were killed in the attack, while the two suspects, aged 17 and 18, took their own lives as police closed in, according to officials investigating the incident.
The FBI has classified the shooting as a hate crime and opened a tip line seeking information from the public about the attack.
Law enforcement was already searching for one of the suspects when the 911 call came from the Islamic Center. About two hours before the shooting, the mother of one suspect had contacted police to report that her son was missing along with several firearms and her vehicle. Officers were actively looking for the teenager and his associate when the emergency call redirected them to the mosque.
The Islamic Center of San Diego serves one of the region's largest Muslim communities. The attack marks a significant tragedy for the congregation and raises fresh concerns about religious institutions facing violence and hate-motivated threats.
Author James Rodriguez: "The fact that two teenagers carried out this attack on a place of worship and then took their own lives raises urgent questions about radicalization, access to weapons, and what warning signs the suspect's own family may have detected before it was too late."
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