Three people, including a security guard, died on Monday after gunmen opened fire at the Islamic Center of San Diego in California in what authorities are investigating as a possible hate crime.
Police said the attack happened shortly before noon at the mosque in the Clairemont area, one of the largest Islamic centres in San Diego County. The mosque also hosts the Al-Rashid Islamic School, where children attend classes and religious studies.
San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said officers arrived within minutes after receiving reports of an active shooter. Responders found three adult men dead outside the mosque, including a security guard whom authorities credited with helping prevent an even bigger tragedy.
Investigators later discovered two teenage suspects, aged 17 and 19, dead inside a nearby vehicle. Authorities believe the pair died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds after carrying out the attack.
The FBI has joined the investigation, while police continue treating the incident as a possible hate crime because the attack targeted a mosque during Dhul Hijjah, one of the holiest periods in the Islamic calendar.
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Authorities confirmed that no children or school staff suffered injuries during the shooting. Officers safely evacuated students from the compound as heavily armed police secured the area.
California Governor Gavin Newsom and San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria condemned the attack and praised emergency responders for acting quickly.
The shooting has sparked renewed concern in the United States over rising hate crimes targeting religious communities, especially Muslims and other minority groups.
