Two gunmen kill 3 at San Diego mosque in suspected hate crime

Two teenage gunmen opened fire Monday at San Diego County's largest mosque, killing three men including a security guard whose actions police said prevented far greater casualties, according to ABC7 Los Angeles.

The attack on the Islamic Center of San Diego — which was hosting a non-Muslim interfaith group at the time — has drawn swift condemnation from Muslim leaders and civil rights organizations across Southern California, renewing urgent concerns about safety at houses of worship in the region.

The gunmen — one 17, the other 18 — opened fire at the Islamic Center of San Diego, located just east of Mission Bay about 20 minutes north of downtown, shortly after 11:45 a.m., police said. Officers reached the scene within four minutes of the initial call. The two suspects were later found dead in a vehicle in the middle of a nearby road from what appeared to be self-inflicted gunshot wounds, according to ABC7 Los Angeles. Before the attack, shots were fired at a landscaper a few blocks away; that person was not injured.

Among those killed was security guard Amin Abdullah, a father of eight. Police Chief Scott Wahl said officers believe Abdullah's response helped limit the toll. A man who knew Abdullah described him as someone who welcomed everyone who approached the mosque. "This guy, like, it didn't matter who walked up, who came, any random person could just walk up. He would greet them, make sure they're OK," the friend said, according to ABC7.

Investigators found anti-Islamic writings inside the suspects' vehicle, and the San Diego Police Department is treating the shooting as a hate crime, ABC7 reported. Roughly two hours before the attack, police had received a call from a parent reporting a runaway teenager who was missing weapons and a vehicle and may have been suicidal. Officers used license plate readers to track the vehicle after the shooting.

Wahl, speaking at a news conference at a neighborhood park across from the mosque, sought to reassure families. "All of the kids are safe. Our hearts go out to the families that are in this moment being notified of what has happened to their loved ones," he said.

Imam Taha Hassane, the mosque's director, called it "extremely outrageous to target a place of worship" and said all houses of worship "should always be protected," according to ABC7. Tazheen Nizam, executive director of CAIR-San Diego, said: "No one should ever fear for their safety while attending prayers or studying at an elementary school."

The Islamic Center of San Diego is the county's largest mosque and houses Al Rashid School, which offers Arabic language and Islamic studies to children ages 5 and up. About a dozen children were evacuated from the school during Monday's attack. Earlier that day, a non-Muslim group had visited the center to learn about Islam.