Summary

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'Every community's worst nightmare' - Police give update after San Diego mosque shooting

  1. Three killed in mosque shooting and two teen suspects found dead in car nearbypublished at 02:01 BST

    San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl gives update on Islamic Center shootingImage source, Reuters

    Three people have been killed in a shooting at a mosque in San Diego, California, which officials believe was perpetrated by two teenage attackers. Here's what we know:

    • San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl says officers first received a call about 09.42 local time from a mother about a "runaway juvenile"
    • The mother of the suspect believed her son was suicidal and reported that "several of her weapons" and vehicle were missing
    • She told police her son was with a companion and they were both dressed in camouflage, prompting police to elevate the threat level and send out officers to search for the teens
    • Police were with the mother only a few blocks away from the Islamic Center of San Diego when an active shooter was reported, about 11.43 local time
    • When officers arrived, they found three deceased victims. One was a security guard at the centre
    • Two teenaged suspects were later found dead in a nearby vehicle with self-inflicted wounds
    • Wahl said they are investigating the shooting as a hate crime and "hate rhetoric" was involved
    • The suspect's mother found a note left behind, but police did not provide further details on what was written beyond it containing "general hate speech"
    • Police say there was no specific threat made to the Islamic centre

    This live coverage is now ending. You can read further updates on the incident here.

  2. Largest Muslim advocacy group in US condemns shootingpublished at 01:48 BST

    The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) - the largest Muslim advocacy group in the US, calls the shooting "horrifying".

    In a statement published online, CAIR says that school children were inside studying when the attack unfolded.

    "We strongly condemn this horrifying act of violence at the Islamic Center of San Diego," CAIR-San Diego Executive Director Tazheen Nizam says.

    "Our thoughts are with everyone impacted by this attack. No one should ever fear for their safety while attending prayers or studying at an elementary school.

    "We are working to learn more about this incident and we encourage everyone to keep this community in your prayers.”

  3. Islamic Center is 'a house of worship, not a battlefield,' says Imampublished at 01:12 BST

    Imam Taha Hassane of the Islamic Center ends the press conference saying the centre is "a house of worship, not a battlefield".

    "Muslims and non-Muslims alike have always been welcome at the Islamic Center," he says.

    He adds that the Muslim community is mourning and requested the media to stop sharing pictures of victims, asking them to respect the families of the victims.

    He then urges people to spread a culture of love and tolerance.

    Imam in glasses and button-down light shirt behind microphones
  4. Suspect took three weaponspublished at 01:05 BST

    San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl says a suicidal person is not going to take three weapons.

    He's referring to the conversations police had with the mother of one of the suspects, who had discovered her weapons and vehicle were missing after her son left with a companion dressed in camouflage. She was initially concerned her son was suicidal.

  5. Suspect made no specific threat to the Islamic Center, police saypublished at 01:02 BST

    Wahl says he wants to clarify that "there was no specific threat, especially no specific threat to the Islamic centre".

    "It was general hate speech that covered a wide gamut," he says of the letter that the mother of one of the suspects found.

    There was no specific threat to any religious facility or any other location, he says, adding that the letter contained "generalised hate rhetoric and hate speech".

  6. Suspect's mother found note left behind, says police chiefpublished at 00:59 BST 19 May

    San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl says the suspect's mother found a note left behind.

    Wahl would not give further details on what was in the note.

    He adds that while the mother was on the phone with police that morning, she began putting together a bigger picture, noting her missing weapons and car.

  7. Chief calls deceased security guard 'heroic'published at 00:58 BST 19 May

    Wahl says they believe the security guard who was killed was able to help minimise the threat at the mosque.

    "Undoubtedly, he saved lives today," the police chief says, adding that he "was heroic".

  8. Hate rhetoric definitely involved, police chief sayspublished at 00:57 BST 19 May

    The San Diego police chief is now taking questions from the media.

    Wahl says that officers are only five hours into their work, and they are actively investigating this shooting as a hate crime.

    He says they are investigating what "hate speech", or hate words, were conveyed throughout the incident.

    "There was definitely hate rhetoric that was involved," he says.

  9. 'Hate has no home in San Diego,' mayor sayspublished at 00:56 BST 19 May

    San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria tells the briefing that no one in the city should "live in fear" because of their faith.

    "Hate has no home in San Diego, Islamaphobia has no home in San Diego," he says.

    The mayor adds that there will be extra police guarding all houses of worship in San Diego.

    Mayor in dark suit stands behind microphone
  10. FBI seeks evidence from the publicpublished at 00:52 BST 19 May

    FBI Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily is now speaking.

    He says agents are processing evidence and working closely with local law enforcement.

    He asks the public to send photos, videos or any evidence to the FBI as they continue their investigation.

    FBI Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily
  11. Police then moved to find the suspectspublished at 00:51 BST 19 May

    Officers entered the Islamic Center to look for suspects, Wahl says, using active shooter protocols they had trained for.

    As they searched room by room, police began receiving calls of shots being fired from a vehicle at a landscaper a few blocks away.

    The landscaper appears OK, but he may have been shot in the helmet, deflecting the bullet. Police had said earlier that he was uninjured, and the police chief says this last point has not yet been confirmed.

    Wahl says another call reported two suspects in a vehicle with gunshot wounds, and when police got there they found them deceased.

  12. Officers were only few blocks from mosque when shooting reportedpublished at 00:50 BST 19 May

    San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl says police were already searching for the suspects when they got a call at 11.43 local time that there was an active shooter at the Islamic Center.

    Wahl adds officers were communicating with the mother of one of the suspects just a few blocks away when the shooting was reported.

    When officers arrived they came across three deceased individuals, one of which was a security guard at the center.

  13. Police learned son had left with companion, both dressed in camouflagepublished at 00:48 BST 19 May

    Wahl says the woman told police her son was with a companion and they were dressed in camo.

    The police chief says that is "not consistent" with what they typically see of someone who is suicidal.

    Officers were sent to a shopping mall near where the vehicle had been spotted, Wahl says. One of the individuals was linked to a local high school, so officers were sent there too, he adds.

    Police chief in uniiform outside behind microphones surrounded by other officers
  14. Mom first alerted police to possible threat, chief sayspublished at 00:46 BST 19 May

    San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl starts the briefing by offering his condolences to the Muslim community and the families of the deceased, and calls the shooting an "absolute worst nightmare".

    Wahl says that about 9:42 local time, police received a call about "a runaway juvenile".

    Officials spoke to a mother, who he says had pieced together bits of information over a period of time. That info elevated the threat level, he adds.

    She believed her son was suicidal and shared information that "several of her weapons were missing".

    Her vehicle was also missing.

    Police chief behing multiple microphones, surrounded by officers
  15. Police update expected shortlypublished at 00:16 BST 19 May

    We're expecting another update from the San Diego Police Department shortly. You can watch it live at the top of this page.

    Stay with us as we bring you the latest developments.

  16. Islamic Center also home to Al Rashid Schoolpublished at 23:53 BST 18 May

    Police cars lined up in front of the Islamic Center in San DiegoImage source, Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

    The Al Rashid School is located on the campus of the Islamic Center and offers weekend classes in "Arabic language, Islamic studies and Qur'an for young Muslims", according to its website.

    Students who attend are aged five and up, with classes held every Saturday for both Arabic speaking and non-Arabic speaking families.

    The center also offers a variety of family and youth programs, and it is busy with educational, religious and community gatherings.

    We reported earlier aerial footage of children being evacuated through a parking lot of the Islamic Center, with nearby schools also placed on lockdown.

  17. What we know about the San Diego mosque shootingpublished at 23:14 BST 18 May

    A map showing the location of the Islamic Center of San Diego

    Officials have given an update after a deadly shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego in Clairemont. Here's what we know about the incident:

    • Five people have died, including three adult victims and two suspects
    • Police were called to the scene at 11:43 local time (19:43 BST) and "observed what appeared to be three deceased victims out front", San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said
    • Two suspects, believed to be aged 17 and 19, were found dead in a nearby vehicle with self-inflicted wounds
    • One of the deceased victims is a security guard who worked at the centre, Wahl said
    • The police chief said the incident is currently being treated as a hate crime
    • A witness speaking to CBS News, the BBC's US partner, says he heard up to 30 gunshots from what sounded like "a semi-automatic weapon"
    • Nearby schools were placed on lockdown while police responded, with an aerial video showing children being escorted through the parking lot of the Islamic Center

  18. President Trump calls shooting a 'terrible situation'published at 22:45 BST 18 May

    Asked about the shooting at an unrelated event on Monday, US President Donald Trump calls it a "terrible situation".

    "I've been given some early updates but we're going to be going back and looking at it very strongly," he says.

  19. Shooting comes ahead of major Muslim holidaypublished at 22:41 BST 18 May

    Shaimaa Khalil
    Los Angeles Correspondent

    Today’s shooting is a massive jolt to a community preparing for one of its holiest seasons and its biggest feasts.

    We’re days away from Eid al-Adha or the "Festival of Sacrifice," one of the two major Muslim holidays, where families celebrate and commemorate the obedience of Prophet Ibrahim.

    This is a very significant time in the Islamic calendar. We are currently in Dhul-al-Hijjah month, which is the 12th and final month of the Islamic lunar calendar

    These days are considered the most sacred, spiritually significant 10 days of the entire year. The first 10 days of Dhul-al-Hijjah are highly revered.

    This is the season of the Hajj Pilgrimage – with the day of Arafat, considered the holiest day of the year. at its heart.

  20. Massive police presence in the areapublished at 22:24 BST 18 May

    Emergency workers respond at the scene of a reported active shooter situation at the Islamic Center in San Diego, California, U.S., May 18, 2026.Image source, Reuters
    People gather at the scene of the incidentImage source, Getty Images
    Police vehicles are seen in the area.Image source, Getty Images
    A man on the phone appears upset as he stands outside the crime sceneImage source, Reuters