Three Killed in San Diego Mosque Attack

Three people were killed at the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday after two teenage gunmen opened fire. The shooting occurred while a school operating within the center was in session, though no children were injured.

The Islamic Center of San Diego is described as one of the largest mosques in San Diego County, housing an accredited K-12 facility and serving as a hub for interfaith relations and community building. According to multiple reports, the gunmen entered the mosque around 11:30 a.m. and opened fire, prompting a swift police response that neutralized the threat by 1 p.m.

San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl confirmed that one of the victims was a security guard who played a pivotal role in mitigating further casualties. The suspects, aged 17 and 19, died by self-inflicted gunshot wounds inside a vehicle nearby. Authorities are investigating the incident as a potential hate crime.

The security guard has been identified as Amin Abdullah, a father of eight children. Wahl described his actions as heroic, stating that he helped minimize the situation to the front area of the mosque and undoubtedly saved lives. Two other victims were found dead outside the mosque when authorities responded to the scene.

Children from Bright Horizon Academy, which shares an address with the Islamic Center, were evacuated to a nearby church. Up to 100 police officers secured the area while parents rushed to pick up their children at a reunification site set up at San Diego Clairemont Seventh-Day Adventist Church. Governor Gavin Newsom's office stated that he was being briefed on the situation and expressed gratitude for the first responders' efforts.

Investigators found hate speech written on one of the guns used in the attack and anti-Islamic writings in the vehicle where the suspects were found, according to sources cited by The Los Angeles Times. The 17-year-old suspect's mother had reported him as suicidal and potentially armed before the shooting. She told police that her son took several weapons from their home and left with a companion wearing camouflage outfits.

One of the guns was taken from the parents' home, and a suicide note containing references to racial pride was found, according to law enforcement officials cited by Time. The 17-year-old suspect has been identified as Cain Clark. He attended elementary and middle school in person but switched to full-time online schooling after the pandemic.

The Islamic Center of San Diego is mourning three people killed in Monday’s attack, including a security guard praised by police for his actions. The mosque honored him in a Facebook post, calling him 'a courageous man who put himself on the line of safety of others, who even in his last moments did not stop protecting our community.' The security guard had worked there for several years.

The man who ran the grocery store and the husband of one of the school’s teachers were also killed, according to mosque members. Authorities have not yet identified them by name. Suzan Hamideh, a longtime visitor to the mosque, expressed her anger and frustration over the loss of life and the trauma inflicted on the children.

Odai Shanah, a 9-year-old third-grade student at the Islamic Center of San Diego, was inside his classroom when the shooting started. He hid in the classroom closet with his classmates until the SWAT team arrived. The students walked out past the bodies of those killed, according to Odai's family.