SAN DIEGO — Law enforcement officials scrambled Monday morning to locate an armed teenager who had run away from home, but their search ended tragically when he and another youth launched a deadly assault on San Diego’s Islamic Center, according to authorities.
The violence unfolded approximately two hours after a concerned mother contacted police to report that her son had fled with her firearms and car, San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl reported. The attack at the Islamic Center of San Diego claimed the lives of three men, including a security guard, before both attackers died from what appeared to be self-inflicted gunshots.
The perpetrators were 17 and 18 years old, Wahl confirmed. Investigators are treating the incident as a hate crime.
The mother’s emergency call came in around 9:40 a.m., with her describing her son as having suicidal thoughts, the chief explained. However, the situation became more alarming when officers discovered the teen was wearing military-style clothing and accompanied by another person — circumstances that didn’t align with typical suicide behavior, Wahl noted.
Authorities deployed multiple resources in their search efforts, including automated license plate scanning technology, personnel at a local shopping center, and notifications to Madison High School, where at least one suspect was enrolled as a student, according to Wahl. While officers were still questioning the mother about potential locations, emergency calls began coming in about gunfire at San Diego County’s largest Islamic worship center.
When police units arrived at the scene, additional shots were heard several blocks away, where someone working in landscaping was targeted but escaped injury. The two shooters were subsequently discovered deceased inside a vehicle that had stopped in the middle of a nearby street, Wahl said.
While no direct threats had been made against the Islamic Center of San Diego specifically, investigators uncovered materials showing the suspects had engaged in “generalized hate rhetoric,” the chief stated, though he withheld additional specifics.
Imam Taha Hassane, who leads the mosque, explained that the facility emphasizes building relationships between different faiths, noting that a group of non-Muslim visitors had been touring the building earlier that same Monday to understand Islamic practices.
The white-colored mosque sits within a neighborhood of residential buildings, apartment complexes, and commercial strips featuring Middle Eastern dining and shopping establishments. The facility houses the Al Rashid School, which provides instruction in Arabic language, Islamic studies, and Quranic education for children starting at age 5, based on the institution’s website. Hassane confirmed no students suffered injuries, and television aerial coverage captured school children being safely evacuated from the parking area while holding hands, surrounded by police cruisers.
Authorities have not yet disclosed the identities of those killed in the attack.
According to Wahl, one victim was the mosque’s security guard, who “played a pivotal role” in limiting the scope of the tragedy.
“It’s fair to say his actions were heroic,” the chief stated during a press briefing. “Undoubtedly he saved lives today.”
