1 / 10Missing Teens Trigger Search: San Diego police were already searching for two armed teenagers on Monday before a deadly shooting unfolded at the Islamic Centre of San Diego. Authorities said one suspect’s mother contacted police around 9:40 a.m. after her 17-year-old son left home with her vehicle and several weapons. She also told officers he appeared suicidal, prompting an urgent effort to locate him and another teenager travelling with him.
2 / 10Why Police Became Alarmed: Police Chief Scott Wahl said investigators grew more concerned after learning the teen was dressed in camouflage and accompanied by another person. Officers believed those details did not fit a typical suicide situation. Authorities used automated license plate readers to track the vehicle, sent officers to a nearby mall linked to the search and alerted Madison High School, where at least one of the suspects had reportedly been a student.
3 / 10Shooting At Mosque: While officers were still speaking with the suspect’s mother about possible locations, police received reports of an active shooting at the Islamic Centre of San Diego, the largest mosque in San Diego County. Officers reached the scene within four minutes and found three victims outside the mosque complex. Police then launched an active shooter response inside the mosque and the nearby school building.
4 / 10Gunfire Spreads Nearby: As officers secured the mosque area, more gunfire was reported a few blocks away. Police said a landscaper was shot at but was not injured. Soon afterwards, officers found a vehicle stopped in the middle of a nearby road with the two teenage suspects dead inside. Authorities identified them as ages 17 and 18 and said both appeared to have died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds.
5 / 10Hate Crime Probe Begins: Investigators said there had been no specific threat made against the Islamic Centre before the attack. However, Wahl said evidence showed the suspects had engaged in what he described as “generalised hate rhetoric.” Police are investigating the shooting as a hate crime while continuing to examine what led to the attack and whether the suspects had planned it in advance.
6 / 10Security Guard Praised: Among those killed was mosque security guard Amin Abdullah, who police believe helped prevent even more deaths. Wahl said Abdullah “played a pivotal role” during the attack and credited his actions with saving lives. Family friend Shaykh Uthman Ibn Farooq said Abdullah had worked at the mosque for more than a decade and became a security guard because he wanted to protect innocent people.
7 / 10Children Evacuated Safely: The mosque complex also includes the Al Rashid School, which offers Arabic language, Islamic studies and Quran classes for children. Imam Taha Hassane said all students and staff members were safe after the shooting. Television footage showed children leaving the area hand-in-hand while police vehicles surrounded the complex. Parents were later directed to another nearby location to reunite with their children.
8 / 10Mosque Known For Outreach: Hassane said the Islamic Centre regularly focuses on interfaith relations and community outreach. Earlier on Monday, a group of non-Muslim visitors had toured the mosque to learn about Islam. He called the shooting “extremely outrageous” and said no place of worship should become the target of violence. The centre’s website says it works with people of all faiths on education and community programs.
9 / 10Leaders React Strongly: The Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the shooting and said worshippers and schoolchildren should never fear violence while attending prayers or classes. President Donald Trump described the incident as a “terrible situation.” California Governor Gavin Newsom said hate and intimidation against faith communities would not be tolerated anywhere in the state.
10 / 10Anti-Muslim Violence Concerns: New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani described the shooting as an apparent act of anti-Muslim violence and said police in New York were increasing security around mosques as a precaution. Investigators in San Diego said the case remains active as authorities continue reviewing evidence connected to the suspects, the shooting timeline and possible motives behind the attack.
