Two teenage gunmen, aged 17 and 18, opened fire at the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday, killing three men before fatally shooting themselves. The incident is being investigated as a hate crime, with police reporting the suspects engaged in "generalized hate rhetoric."

The shooting was preceded by a call from the mother of one suspect, who reported her son had fled with her weapons and vehicle and expressed fear he was suicidal. As police searched, reports of a shooting at the Islamic Center, about 9 miles from downtown, came in.

Officers arriving at the scene heard more shots a few blocks away. The shooters were found dead in a vehicle with self-inflicted gunshot wounds, according to San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl, who confirmed no officers fired their weapons.

A security guard at the mosque was among the victims. Wahl described his actions as "heroic," stating he "undoubtedly saved lives today." The identities of the other two victims were not immediately released.

Imam Taha Hassane, director of the Islamic center, which also houses a school, confirmed no students were harmed. "We have never experienced tragedy like this before," he said. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani called the attack "an apparent act of anti-Muslim violence." President Donald Trump called it a "terrible situation," while California Governor Gavin Newsom declared, "Hate has no place in California."

Source: www.dw.com