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A shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego left three men dead Monday, May 18, and is being investigated as a hate crime. Two teenage suspects were later found dead from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds, authorities said.
The attack happened shortly before midday prayer at the Islamic Center in San Diego’s Clairemont area.
Police said the suspects, ages 17 and 18, opened fire at the mosque before being found dead in a vehicle a few blocks away.
San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said investigators had not identified a specific prior threat against the Islamic Center, but evidence indicated the suspects had engaged in “generalized hate rhetoric.”
Authorities are pursuing search warrants as they work to determine the motive.
Investigation and Police Response
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Police said the search for one suspect began about two hours before the shooting, after his mother reported that he was suicidal, had run away, and that weapons and her vehicle were missing.
Officers began looking for the teen and another person, alerting nearby locations and using automated license plate readers.
Officers responded to the mosque within minutes of receiving emergency calls. Three men had been killed. Police later received reports of gunfire from a vehicle nearby, where the two suspects were found dead, according to the BBC.
One victim was a mosque security guard. Officials said his actions likely prevented more deaths.
No children at the center’s school were harmed, and a reunification center was set up for affected families.
Community Reaction
The shooting drew condemnation from local, state and national leaders.
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said the city stood with its Muslim community and that Islamophobia had no place in San Diego. California Gov. Gavin Newsom said worshippers should not have to fear for their lives.
STATEMENT: @CAGovernor Gavin Newsom and First Partner @JenSiebelNewsom issued the following statement regarding the shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego:
“Jennifer and I are horrified by today’s violent attack at the Islamic Center of San Diego, where families and…
— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) May 18, 2026
U.S. lawmakers also expressed support for the victims’ families. Sen. Adam Schiff called the attack horrific. Rep. Sara Jacobs said San Diego’s Muslim community was not alone.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said the country must confront Islamophobia and hatred.
Faith and civil rights leaders said the attack showed the vulnerability of houses of worship. Imam Taha Hassane, director of the Islamic Center, called the targeting of a place of worship “extremely outrageous.” CAIR-San Diego said no one should fear violence while attending prayers or school.
National data show anti-Muslim hate incidents have remained elevated in recent years.
The FBI recorded 236 anti-Muslim hate-crime incidents in 2023, up from 158 in 2022, while 2024 data showed 256 anti-Islamic/Muslim incidents.
Separately, CAIR reported 8,658 anti-Muslim civil-rights complaints in 2024, its highest annual total, and identified 40 incidents explicitly targeting Islamic worship spaces that year.
