Three adult men were killed and two teenage suspects also died following a shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego on May 18, 2026, prompting authorities to investigate the incident as a hate crime, officials confirmed. San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl stated that the two suspects, aged 17 and 18, appeared to have died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds. The Chief did not release their identities beyond their ages.
One of the three adult victims was identified as a security guard at the Islamic Center, whom Chief Wahl credited with playing "a pivotal role in assisting from this being much worse." The other two adults killed were men. Authorities declared that there was "no further threat" to the public as the investigation proceeded.
Chief Wahl elaborated on the hate crime designation, stating that the location of the shooting led authorities to consider it a hate crime "until it's not." He further indicated that while there was no specific threat to the mosque, "there was definitely hate rhetoric that was involved," describing it as "general hate kind of speech ... covered a wide gamut." He declined to provide more specific details regarding the nature of this rhetoric.
Mark Remily, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's San Diego field office, affirmed the federal commitment to the investigation, stating, "We will leave no stone unturned."
The Investigation's Focus
Hours before the shooting, the mother of one of the suspects contacted police to report that three of her weapons and her car were missing, along with her son. Chief Wahl confirmed that this call initiated a "larger threat assessment picture," leading the agency's threat-management unit to begin tracking the teenagers and the vehicle, utilizing tools such as license-plate readers. Officers were dispatched to a local mall after the vehicle was detected there multiple times, and also to the teen's high school, despite the absence of any specific threats. The suspect's mother also discovered a note left by her son, the contents of which Chief Wahl declined to disclose.
A landscaper was reportedly shot at during the incident, with Chief Wahl suggesting that the individual's helmet potentially saved his life. Sharp Memorial Hospital, located approximately two miles from the Islamic Center, activated its "disaster procedures" and received one patient with a "non-firearm-related injury."
Official Condemnation and Community Response
In the aftermath of the attack, several blocks surrounding the Islamic Center remained cordoned off with yellow police tape. Parents were observed crowding the entrances of nearby schools to collect their children.
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and its San Diego chapter issued a statement condemning the shooting. Tazheen Nizam, CAIR-San Diego Executive Director, stated, "No one should ever fear for their safety while attending prayers or studying at an elementary school," and added that the organization was "working to learn more about this incident" while encouraging prayers for the community.
President Donald Trump, speaking at a White House event, confirmed he had been briefed on the shooting, calling it "a terrible situation." California Governor Gavin Newsom, in a joint statement with his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, expressed being "horrified by today’s violent attack," conveying solidarity with the "San Diego Muslim community."
The Muslim Community Center of Greater San Diego, a mosque situated about 20 miles north of the incident site, announced its closure for the day via a Facebook post, citing the "unfortunate shooting incident" and advising, "For your safety, please do not visit MCC today." Imam Taha Hassane of the Islamic Center of San Diego issued a brief statement confirming the safety of the center's students, teachers, and staff.
In a broader response, police departments in New York and Los Angeles announced increased presence near houses of worship "out of an abundance of caution," despite no known threats in either city. Washington, D.C., police also stated they would pay "special attention" to religious institutions and houses of worship, again noting no known threat. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass asserted that "houses of worship must be true sanctuaries where hate and violence have no place."