Three killed in San Diego mosque shooting, authorities investigating as hate crime

Three people were killed in a shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego in California in what authorities said they were investigating as a hate crime.

Two suspects, aged 17 and 19, were also dead from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds, officials said. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is looking for any information from the public about the shooting as they investigate it, and had set up a tip line.

The shooting occurred shortly before midday prayer, at the Islamic Center, located in the Clairemont area of San Diego. The ICSD is the largest mosque in San Diego county.

“This is every community’s worst nightmare,” said Scott Wahl, the San Diego police chief.

Authorities confirmed that no children at the center’s school were harmed, and said a reunification center had been set up for the families of those affected. Among the three people killed was a security guard at the center.

“The threat currently has been addressed, children are safe, and that is a good thing,” said Todd Gloria, the San Diego mayor, at a press conference Monday afternoon. “Obviously, we’ve had the loss of life here at the Islamic Center of San Diego, and 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.”

A spokesperson for a local hospital, Sharp Memorial, also said that victims were being treated there.

“We have never experienced a tragedy like this before, and at this moment all what I can say is sending our prayers and standing in solidarity with all the families in our community here and also the other mosques and all the places of worship in our beautiful city should always be protected,” said Taha Hassane, an imam and director of the center. “It is extremely outrageous to target a place of worship.”

The office of Gavin Newsom, California’s governor, said he had been briefed on the situation and Governor’s Office of Emergency Services was coordinating with local law enforcement.

Donald Trump was also briefed on the shooting Monday. “It’s a terrible situation,” he said.

The suspected shooters, according to the FBI, are believed to have died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds. “There were no officers involved in firing their weapons,” said Mark Remily of the FBI.

Meanwhile, the New York police department announced that it was also aware of the shooting, saying: “While there is currently no known nexus to NYC or specific threats to NYC houses of worship, out of an abundance of caution, the NYPD is increasing deployments to mosques across the city.”

Associated Press contributed reporting