Three people were killed Monday in a San Diego, California mosque after two suspected gunmen intruded, and were later found dead nearby.
Authorities said the suspects, aged 17 and 19, died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds. San Diego police chief Scott Wahl stated the case is being treated as a hate crime and an Islamophobic attack. A security guard was among the victims and may have helped limit the scale of the tragedy.
Reports of gunfire reached police around midday. Officers arrived within four minutes and found three dead outside the Islamic Center of San Diego. The center houses the largest mosque in the region and offers classes for children.
Donald Trump called the situation “terrible” from the White House and said he would review the information closely. Imam Taha Hassane expressed shock, noting the community had never faced such a tragedy and deeming it scandalous to target a place of worship.
The incident occurred on the eve of Eid al-Adha.
