Five Killed in Shooting at Islamic Centre in California as Police Investigate Hate Crime

Police in San Diego, California, announced that five people were killed in a shooting attack targeting the city’s Islamic centre, including the two teenage attackers.

Authorities said the incident is being investigated as a hate crime.

San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl stated that one of those killed was a security guard working at the mosque. He said the two teenage attackers shot and killed three people before taking their own lives inside a vehicle where they were later found.

US President Donald Trump expressed regret over what he described as a “horrific situation” following the shooting at the mosque.

Earlier, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said in a post on X that a shooting had taken place at the Islamic centre in the Clairemont neighbourhood.

“I am aware of the shooting incident at the Islamic Centre in San Diego’s Clairemont area and continue to receive updates from law enforcement agencies,” Gloria wrote. “Emergency teams are on site and actively working to protect people and secure the area.”

The company involved in the emergency response also confirmed that its personnel were present at the scene.

American media outlets reported that the two suspects involved in the shooting were found dead.

Footage aired by a local NBC affiliate showed dozens of police vehicles stationed on a highway bridge next to the Islamic centre, while officers surrounded the area with patrol vehicles.

Television images from the scene also showed heavily armed personnel moving through the complex.

The centre is located in Clairemont, a residential and commercial district in San Diego. According to its official website, it houses the largest mosque in San Diego County.