Parents mourn their children's deaths and the Islamic Center shares their concern for the safety of their places of worship in the aftermath of the violent incident.
May 18, 2026 at 4:16 PMPeople stand behind police tape at the scene of a shooting outside the Islamic Center of San Diego Monday, May 18, 2026, in San Diego.
Children hold hand as they walk near the scene of a shooting outside the Islamic Center of San Diego Monday, May 18, 2026, in San Diego. Police stage at the scene of a shooting outside the Islamic Center of San Diego Monday, May 18, 2026, in San Diego. People carry weapons at the scene of a shooting outside the Islamic Center of San Diego Monday, May 18, 2026, in San Diego.
A woman watches from a distance at the scene of a shooting outside the Islamic Center of San Diego Monday, May 18, 2026, in San Diego. People stand behind police tape at the scene of a shooting outside the Islamic Center of San Diego Monday, May 18, 2026, in San Diego. Monday before killing themselves a few blocks away, authorities said.
Police Chief Scott Wahl said a security guard at the Islamic Center of San Diego was among those killed and that the case is being investigated as a hate crime. About two hours before the attack, the mother of one of the suspects called police to report that her son was missing, Wahl told a news conference. She feared he might be suicidal, and she eventually realized that several of her weapons were missing, along with her vehicle.
The case became even more urgent when police learned that he was dressed in camouflage and that he was in the company of an acquaintance, and officers began using whatever technology they had available to locate the teens, including automated license plate readers. The Islamic Center is the largest mosque in San Diego County, according to its website. It's about 9 miles north of downtown San Diego.
There had been no specific threat made against the Islamic Center of San Diego, but San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said investigators were aware of “generalized hate rhetoric” in the case and are investigating the attack as a hate crime. Wahl noted that the mother of one of the suspects found a note he left behind, but the chief declined to disclose its contents.
Wahl says that about two hours before the attack, the mother of one of the suspects called police to report that her son was missing. Wahl told a news conference the she feared he might be suicidal, and she eventually realized that several of her weapons were missing, along with her vehicle.
The case became even more urgent when police learned that he was dressed in camouflage and that he was in the company of an acquaintance, and officers began using whatever technology they had available to locate the teens, including automated license plate readers. Wahl said that’s when police began getting reports of a shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego.
Responding officers found the three victims at the mosque and the two teens dead of apparently self-inflicted gunshot wounds in a vehicle nearby. That’s according to Sharp Memorial Hospital spokesperson Erica Carlson. Carlson says the hospital did not expect to receive additional patients but was staying in contact with the San Diego County Office of Emergency Services.
Center’s Al Rashid School offers courses in Arabic language, Islamic studies and the Quran for students ages 5 and upAerial TV footage showed more than a dozen children holding hands and being walked out of the parking lot of the center as it was surrounded by scores of police vehicles. The white mosque is in a neighborhood of homes, apartments and strip malls with Middle Eastern restaurants and markets.
“All of the kids are safe,” Wahl said, appearing emotional. “Our hearts go out to the families that are in this moment being notified of what has happened to their loved ones. ”Imam Taha Hassane also said at a news conference that “all the places of worship in our beautiful city should always be protected.
”Tazheen Nizam of the Council on American-Islamic Relations in San Diego says that “no one should ever fear for their safety while attending prayers or studying at an elementary school. ” Nizam says in a statement that CAIR is “working to learn more about this incident and we encourage everyone to keep this community in your prayers. ”That’s according to Chief Wahl.
Wahl says that as officers responded to the mosque, they also fielded reports of gunfire a few blocks away, where a landscaper was shot at but was uninjured. Center’s director says the mosque focuses on interfaith relationsHe told a news conference that a group of non-Muslims had been touring the mosque earlier Monday to learn about the Muslim faith. That’s according to San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl.
Chief Scott Wahl says both suspects are believed to be teens and that the case is considered to be a hate crime.
“We are grateful to the first responders on the scene working to protect the community and urge everyone to follow guidance from local authorities,” his office posted on the social platform X. Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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