San Diego Mosque Shooting Leaves Five Dead

(MENAFN) Five individuals, among them two suspected gunmen, lost their lives Monday in a deadly shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, law enforcement officials confirmed, as authorities launched a hate crime investigation into the attack.

"What we know at this time is that there are three deceased adult males," San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said of the civilian victims, noting that both alleged shooters had also been killed in the confrontation.

Speaking at a news conference after officials had earlier declared the threat "neutralized," Wahl revealed that one of the three victims was a security guard employed at the center. Investigators wasted no time in flagging the attack's religious dimensions.

"Because of the Islamic center location, we are considering this a hate crime until it's not, and at this point we're going to work closely with the FBI to make sure that we are matching all the resources that we need for this investigation," Wahl added.

The police chief also confirmed that all children present at the facility — which operates an on-site school — were "safe."

The violence unfolded in the Clairemont neighborhood near the 7,000 block of Eckstrom Avenue, where officers had initially responded to reports of an active shooter in progress.

President Donald Trump characterized the attack as a "terrible situation," addressing reporters at the White House shortly after receiving preliminary briefings.

"They're giving a briefing on it ...and it's a terrible situation. I've been given some early updates, but we're going to be going back and looking at it very strongly," Trump told reporters.

'Extremely outrageous' to target a place of worship
Islamic Center of San Diego Director Taha Hassane appeared before reporters to voice his shock and grief, calling it "extremely outrageous" to target a house of worship.

"We have never experienced a tragedy like this before," Hassane said.

"People come to the Islamic center to pray, to celebrate, to learn, not only Muslims ...Just this morning, earlier, a group of people, non-Muslims, came just to learn about our faith and our cultures. So this is something that we have never expected."

In the immediate aftermath, officials informed media that "some people have been reported down," though precise casualty figures were not yet available at that stage.

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria joined police in urging residents to steer clear of the area and comply with instructions from public safety personnel.

"I am aware of the active shooter situation at the Islamic Center of San Diego in Clairemont and am continuing to receive updates from law enforcement. Emergency personnel are on scene and actively working to protect the community and secure the area," Gloria wrote on X.

California Governor Gavin Newsom's office confirmed he had been briefed on the developing situation. "We are grateful to the first responders on the scene working to protect the community and urge everyone to follow guidance from local authorities," the statement read.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) chapter in San Diego was among the first organizations to respond publicly, issuing an early statement confirming at least one fatality.

"May Allah grant him the highest rank of Paradise and protect everyone from harm. No one should ever fear for their safety while attending prayers or studying at an elementary school," CAIR said in a post on X.

MENAFN19052026000045017169ID1111135286