San Diego mosque shooting: Everything we know after three killed and two suspects dead

Local police and federal agents are investigating a shooting that took place Monday at an Islamic center in San Diego that left three victims and two suspects dead.

Police were called to the Islamic Center of San Diego, which includes a mosque and K-3 school, just before noon on Monday.

Police said they found three adults dead, including a security guard. No children at the center were harmed in the shooting.

Officers were almost simultaneously called to a scene a few blocks away on reports of gunfire, according to police.

There, they found the two teen suspects, both dead from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds.

Here’s what we know about the suspects so far:

A pair of teen gunmen

Police described the two suspects as males age 17 and 18.

Officials have not named the suspects and it was not immediately clear if they were local residents or had any personal ties to the San Diego mosque police believe they attempted to attack.

Police have not described what types of weapons were used in the shooting.

The mother of one of the suspects warned police Monday morning that her son had run away, might be suicidal and had taken several of her weapons and her vehicle, according to officials.

She told police her son left with a companion, and that both were dressed in camouflage.

Police were sent to San Diego’s Fashion Valley Mall after license plate readers suggested the individuals were there. Officers also believe one of the two suspects had some kind of tie to San Diego’s Madison High School.

Officers were speaking with the mother when the shooting outside the mosque was reported.

After the attack, investigators were seen outside a home in San Diego thought to belong to a relative of at least one of the individuals, NBC San Diego reports.

Multiple crime scenes

Local police and federal agents from the FBI and ATF are investigating the case, which has a crime scene spread across multiple locations.

The three victims of the shooting were discovered outside the Islamic Center, while the two suspects were found a few blocks away.

By the time police arrived at the Islamic Center, the gunmen had allegedly left. Officers got another call about shots fired at a landscaper nearby and headed to that location.

On the 3800 block of Hatton Street, police said they found the two suspects dead in their vehicle in the middle of the street.

Searching for a motive

Investigators are treating the shooting at the mosque, the largest in San Diego County, as a hate crime.

“Because of the Islamic Center location, we are considering this a hate crime until it’s not,” San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl told reporters on Monday. “And at this point we’re going to work closely with the FBI to make sure that we are matching all the resources that we need for this investigation.”

Investigators found anti-Islamic writing in the vehicle with the suspects, and the words ‘hate speech’ were written on a weapon used in the attack, law enforcement sources told The New York Times. One of the suspects reportedly left a suicide note that discussed “racial pride,” CNN reports, citing law enforcement sources.

The FBI said it is surging resources to the area and federal officials including FBI Director Kash Patel and President Donald Trump have been briefed.

Police plan to review security video from the scene of the shooting.

“The FBI is meticulously assessing the situation and is prepared to employ every resource we have to uncover the facts of this incident,” San Diego-based FBI Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily told reporters on Monday. “No community should have to go through such a tragic incident, but we will work tirelessly until we learn the truth.”

Agents are also interviewing family members and friends, Remily said.

The FBI has called on community members to submit any pertinent photo or video evidence to the bureau.

A slain security guard who stopped a tragedy

Police have said little so far about the victims of Monday’s shooting, beside the fact that they were all adults.

Officials credited one of the victims, a security guard, with stopping more deaths from taking place inside the center.

“One of the deceased is a security guard that works there and I think played a pivotal role in assisting from this being much worse,” Chief Wahl said.

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