San Diego mosque shooting: Three dead in attack probed as hate crime
Police treat incident as suspected hate crime following reports of missing weapons and hate rhetoric; victims include Amin Abdullah who is credited with saving lives.
Two teenage gunmen opened fire at the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday, killing three men before taking their own lives, police confirmed. Authorities are investigating the incident as a possible hate crime, citing evidence of generalised hate rhetoric found in a note left by one suspect’s mother. The attack occurred shortly before the Eid al-Adha holiday, targeting the largest mosque in San Diego County, which serves a congregation of more than 5,000 people.
San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl told reporters that the investigation is actively examining the motives behind the shooting. Wahl stated that while the note contained hate speech, there was no specific threat directed at the Islamic Center of San Diego prior to the event. The suspects, identified as 17 and 19-year-old males, were found dead in a vehicle nearby with apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Wahl confirmed that no officers discharged their weapons during the response, despite breaching doors to secure the facility.
The three victims were confirmed dead outside the building when officers arrived at the 7000 block of Eckstrom Avenue. Among them was a security guard, identified by community leaders as Amin Abdullah. Wahl described Abdullah’s actions as heroic, noting that he played a pivotal role in preventing further casualties and undoubtedly saved lives. Community leaders have described Abdullah as a father of eight who was working at the centre at the time of the attack.
The incident began at approximately 9:42am local time when police received a call from a mother reporting her son as a runaway juvenile. She informed authorities that weapons and a vehicle were missing and expressed concerns about his suicidal tendencies. Roughly two hours later, at 11:43am, officers responded to reports of an active shooter. As many as 100 law enforcement officers entered the complex to secure different rooms, while gunfire erupted a few blocks away where a landscaper was shot at but not injured.
One of the suspects was associated with Madison High School, prompting increased security at the campus. The restricted Genasys advisory zone has been reduced to Eckstrom Avenue, Cosmo Street, Balboa Avenue, and Hathaway Street as the investigation moves into the investigative phase. California Governor Gavin Newsom released a statement expressing horror at the violent attack, asserting that hate has no place in the state.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) condemned the shooting, with Executive Director Tazheen Nizam stating that no one should fear for their safety while attending prayers or studying. CAIR recorded 8,683 anti-Muslim and anti-Arab complaints in 2025, the highest number since the organisation began publishing data in 1996. Rights groups have linked the rise in such incidents to broader political rhetoric and tensions surrounding the war on Gaza.
