San Diego Islamic Center Shooting: 3 Dead, Suspects Found Deceased, Hate Crime Considered

California Governor Gavin Newsom reacted to the shooting at the Islamic Center in San Diego, saying he was "horrified" by the "violent attack."

"Worshippers anywhere should not have to fear for their lives," the Democrat said in a statement.

"Hate has no place in California, and we will not tolerate acts of terror or intimidation against communities of faith."

Newsom ended the statement by turning to the state's Muslim community.

"California stands with you," he said.

Police are considering the shooting incident at an Islamic center as a hate crime, San Diego's police chief, Scott Wahl, said at a press conference.

"Because of the Islamic Center location, we are considering this a hate crime until it’s not," Wahl said.

Three men were killed in the shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, one of whom was a security guard who played a "pivotal role" in preventing a much worse outcome, according to Wahl.

The two suspects, believed to be 17 and 19 years old, appeared to have died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds, Wahl said.

The pair was found dead in a car nearby.

San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl told a press conference that there was "no further threat" to the public.

A special agent in charge of FBI San Diego said that the two suspects in the shooting were found dead inside a vehicle that was stopped in the middle of the road, near the scene.

Wahl said the two suspected shooters were teenagers, 17 and 19 years old, and died from what appeared to be self-inflicted gunshot wounds.

"Both suspects in this case are deceased," he said.

Wahl said that officers responding to the incident were informed of reports of gunfire several blocks away, where a landscaper was shot at but was uninjured.

Authorities in San Diego said three people were killed in the shooting.

They added that one of the victims was a security guard of the Islamic Center. According to US media reports, the other two were employees.

"We have three confirmed adults that are deceased at the Islamic Center," San Diego Police Department Chief Scott Wahl said.

All three of the victims were males, Wahl said. He stressed that all children that were in the complex at the time of the incident are safe.

The Islamic Center is considered the largest mosque in San Diego County. The organization says its mission is to not only serve the Muslim population but also "work with the larger community to serve the less fortunate, to educate, and to better our nation."

The mosque is located in a neighborhood of homes, apartments and strip malls with Middle Eastern restaurants and markets.

The mosque holds five daily prayers and includes the Al Rashid School, which offers courses in Arabic language, Islamic studies and the Quran.

At the time of the shooting, aerial TV footage showed more than a dozen children, holding hands, being escorted out of the parking lot of the center.