A vicious shooting at the Islamic Centre of San Diego shocked US communities, and three people and two teenage suspects were killed and discovered dead in a brutal shooting attack near the mosque complex.
The incident took place in the evening hours at the Islamic centre in the Clairemont neighbourhood in San Diego, police said. The suspects reportedly fired in the area outside the mosque, sparking panic and chaos among congregants at the religious centre, police officials said.
The San Diego Police said three adult men were killed in the shooting. More than a dozen others were reported wounded and taken to nearby hospitals to receive treatment. Responders were soon on scene after a series of distress calls to the mosque, indicating active gunfire near the mosque. Investigators later discovered two teenage suspects dead in a nearby vehicle.
The suspects, whose bodies are thought to have been shot by themselves, died of self-inflicted gunshot wounds after fleeing the scene. Police are releasing no names at present, pending further investigation and family notification, according to one spokesperson. Law enforcement (including the FBI) has joined the investigation, and security forces, that is, the FBI and its investigators, confirmed that they are worried that the attack was fueled by religious hatred or extremism.
Islamic Center San Diego Shooting HATE CRIME
— Ryan Rozbiani (@RyanRozbiani) May 18, 2026
🕌 Suspects Left Anti-Islamic Writings in Car Before San Diego Mosque Attack
THEY TARGETED MUSLIM KIDS
One suspect stole a firearm from his parents' home and left a suicide note. The words "HATE SPEECH" were written on one of the… https://t.co/Gelr9fWcb0 pic.twitter.com/Am584AdGwI
Regulators said that disturbing writings and anti-Islamic content had been unearthed during the investigation, prompting authorities to begin exploring possible hate crimes connected to the assault. The mosque security staff and first responders moved quickly, police officials said, noting their action likely spared even more victims and deaths, while calling the mosque security response a potential first responder’s move that saved many lives.
One of the dead victims, the news told the outlet, was a security guard at the Islamic centre and is recalled today for trying to protect worshippers from the attack. The Islamic Centre of San Diego, one of the largest Muslim community institutions in Southern California, offers services focused on prayer, education and family activities.
The complex was crowded, and although some families and children were present that day, students connected to the centre’s educational offerings were also present at the compound, which continues to serve as a witness to the deadly tragedy. Fortunately, the overwhelming vast majority of these people were safely evacuated by the authorities.
At the time of the incidents, the violence was condemned by community leaders, and a whole lot of local clergy and faith groups, as well as their community, expressed solidarity with victims and their families. Vigils have been staged in San Diego to memorialise victims of the attack, and prayer meetings have been held in solidarity with Muslim communities that were hurt.
The politically charged figures also attracted a very strong reaction during this event and called for peace and increased resistance to hate-based terrorism. The security around mosques and Islamic centres has reportedly been increased in many cities across the United States. Investigators are still sifting through surveillance video, witness accounts, and clues gathered at the scene to determine precisely what happened, when, and why.
Experts have cautioned the public against peddling disinformation since the investigation is ongoing. The deadly episode, however, has helped reignite a national dialogue about gun violence, a kind of religious intolerance and once more the safety of places of worship in the United States.
