Firing at Islamic Center Of San Diego Claims 5 Lives: Hate Crime Suspected, Probe Underway

Three men, including a security guard, were shot dead outside the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday, while two teenage suspects later died from apparent self-inflicted wounds, as San Diego police investigated the attack as a possible hate crime aimed at the Muslim community, with federal agents from the FBI also joining the case.

The shooting took place shortly before noon at the mosque complex, described as the largest Islamic centre in San Diego County, and triggered panic among worshippers and students, though San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl told Reuters that all children attending the day school inside the grounds were safely located and were not physically harmed.

Islamic Center of San Diego shooting: suspects, suicide note and weapons

A short time after the gunfire, investigators located the bodies of the alleged attackers, aged 17 and 19, inside a parked vehicle on a nearby street, and officers believe the teenagers died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds after the Islamic Center of San Diego shooting, with CNN reporting that one suspect had taken a firearm from parents' home and left a suicide note referring to racial pride, while officials also said hateful messages were found written on one of the weapons.

Kids being evacuated from the Mosque in San Diego after the shooting today pic.twitter.com/rSP9znG1II

— Hussein Mizoury (@husseinmizoury) May 18, 2026

Islamic Center of San Diego shooting: hate crime probe and investigation

Authorities said detectives continued working to confirm the exact motive and reconstruct the sequence of events linked to the Islamic Center of San Diego shooting, while San Diego police stated on X that the incident was being treated as a suspected hate crime targeting the Muslim community, and the FBI formally joined the investigation alongside local officers.

Islamic Center of San Diego shooting: victims, security guard and police response

According to San Diego police, officers arriving at the centre found three adult men fatally shot outside the building, including a security guard who authorities suggested might have reduced further casualties during the assault, and local coverage by ABC News summarised the incident by stating that three adult men, one of whom was a security guard, were killed in a shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday, with police adding that two suspects were also dead and that all children at the centre were safe.