Three people were killed in a shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday, with authorities investigating the attack as a potential hate crime. The two suspects, aged 17 and 18, were found dead from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds shortly after the incident.
Key Takeaways
A shooting at San Diego's largest mosque left three people dead on Monday. Two suspects, aged 17 and 18, were also found dead from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Authorities are investigating the attack as a potential hate crime amid rising Islamophobia in the U.S.
- Three worshippers killed at San Diego mosque
- Two teenage suspects died of self-inflicted gunshot wounds
- Attack investigated as possible hate crime
- Suspects met online and shared extremist views
- Incident comes amid rising reports of Islamophobia
The shooting occurred just before midday prayers at the mosque in the Clairemont area of San Diego. According to CBS News, one of the victims was a security guard who engaged the shooters and is being hailed as a hero for preventing further casualties. The other two victims were identified by The Guardian as Mansour Kaziha, a mosque elder, and Nadir Awad.
The suspects had been radicalized online and shared extremist views targeting multiple religious and racial groups. According to Time, the FBI found that the pair met online and expressed a 'broad hatred' toward different religions and races. The Los Angeles Times reported that they left behind a 75-page manifesto titled 'The New Crusade: Sons of Tarrant,' referencing Brenton Tarrant, who carried out attacks on mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand.
The incident comes amid rising reports of Islamophobia in the U.S. According to Time, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) received a record 8,683 civil rights complaints in 2025, with five states seeing increasing complaints over the last three years.
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