Three men were fatally shot outside the Islamic Center of San Diego, California, on Monday morning by two teenage suspects who later took their own lives. The attack is being investigated as a suspected hate crime.
Key Takeaways
Three men were fatally shot at the Islamic Center of San Diego by two teenage suspects who later took their own lives. Authorities are investigating it as a suspected hate crime.
- Three victims identified: Amin Abdullah, Nader Awad, Mansour Kaziha
- Suspects named Cain Clark, 17, and Caleb Vazquez, 18
- One suspect's mother reported him suicidal before the attack
- Security guard Amin Abdullah hailed as a hero for preventing further casualties
The shooting occurred at approximately 11:40 AM local time. Police Chief Scott Wahl stated that officers responded within four minutes and found three victims with gunshot wounds outside the mosque. The suspects, aged 17 and 18, were later discovered dead from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds in a vehicle nearby.
Among the deceased was a security guard identified as Amin Abdullah, who authorities believe played a pivotal role in preventing further casualties. 'It's fair to say his actions were heroic,' Wahl said at a news conference. The mosque is the largest in San Diego County and houses an Islamic school, where all children were accounted for and safe.
The victims have been identified as Amin Abdullah, Nader Awad, and Mansour Kaziha. Abdullah was a security guard at the mosque and a father of eight. Nader Awad's children grew up in the mosque, and his wife teaches at the school inside it. Mansour Kaziha helped maintain the mosque's grounds and convenience store.
According to TimesLIVE and Al Jazeera, the mother of one suspect called police about two hours before the shooting to report that her son had run away with three guns she owned and her vehicle. She described him as suicidal but dressed in camouflage along with a companion. Wahl mentioned finding 'generalised hate rhetoric and hate speech' in a note left by the youth, though no specific threat was made against the mosque or any other location.
Additional shots were fired at a landscaper nearby, who escaped injury possibly due to wearing a helmet that may have deflected a bullet. Police are treating this incident as connected to the mosque shooting. The FBI is assisting in the investigation, and authorities appeal for public information to help uncover the motive behind the attack.
The Islamic Center of San Diego had never experienced such a tragedy before, according to Imam Taha Hassane. California Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the 'violent attack' where families and children gather in peace, while US President Donald Trump described it as a 'terrible situation.'
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