Active shooter near San Diego mosque leaves five dead, including suspects

At least five people were killed during an “active shooter” situation near a mosque in the Clairemont neighborhood of San Diego on Monday.

The incident was reported at the Islamic Center of San Diego — which hosts a variety of religious programming — shortly after 3 p.m. ET. About an hour later, police said the threat had been “neutralized.”

During a press conference around 5 p.m. ET, San Diego police confirmed that three adult men were found dead at the scene. Authorities also located a vehicle a few blocks away containing two deceased male teenagers, believed to be 17 and 19, who were identified as suspects and died from self-inflicted wounds.

CNN reported earlier that a security guard at the center was among those killed, citing several law enforcement officials briefed on the situation. A witness described watching the guard get shot before falling.

Aerial footage of the scene showed a substantial police presence, with dozens of vehicles lining a street and yellow caution tape cordoning off the area. Heavily armed officers were seen entering the building as people dispersed from the area, some holding hands.

"The entire school is safe. All the kids and staff and teachers are safe,” an imam at the center said in a video posted to Facebook at 4:30 pm ET. “We have a few casualties, not confirmed yet.”

A representative for Sharp Memorial Hospital confirmed to NBC News that patients from the scene had been transported there.

“Our disaster procedures have been activated and we are coordinating with the County of San Diego and other resources to respond to the incident," the spokesperson said.

California Governor Gavin Newsom said in a statement that he has been briefed on the incident and is coordinating with law enforcement.

“We are grateful to the first responders on the scene working to protect the community and urge everyone to follow guidance from local authorities,” Newsom said.

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria also said he was aware of the reported shooting, adding that officials are “actively working to protect the community and secure the area.”

People living and working in the surrounding neighborhoods were urged to shelter in place, according to NBC News.

The FBI is also on the scene, Kash Patel, the bureau’s director said in a post on X. “All resources will be made available assisting local partners and we will update the public as we’re able,” he wrote.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations, the largest Muslim-American civil liberties organization in the U.S., released a statement condemning the shooting.

“No one should ever fear for their safety while attending prayers or studying at an elementary school,” CAIR said. “We are working to learn more about this incident and we encourage everyone to keep this community in your prayers.”

According to its website, the Islamic Center is the largest mosque in San Diego County, which has an estimated population of some 3.2 million people.

“Our mission is to serve the religious needs of the San Diego Muslim population and work with the larger community to serve the less fortunate, to educate, and to better our nation,” the website states.

The center hosts five daily prayers, sermons and various educational seminars.

This is a breaking story...