hate rhetoric – Authorities say two 17- and 18-year-old suspects opened fire at the Islamic Center of San Diego in Clairemont on May 18, killing three men—before killing themselves inside a vehicle nearby. A hate crime investigation is underway, and police say there was “defi
The first calls came just before noon on May 18, and within minutes officers were searching for an active shooter at the Islamic Center of San Diego—an address that also houses a school.
Police said the shooting began at about 11:43 a.m. PT. Officers arrived minutes after the first call and found three men dead outside the mosque. They then entered the building looking for suspects, as another report pulled them to a different location nearby.
A short time later, police were called to a nearby area where a vehicle was parked in the middle of the street. Inside were two suspected shooters—dead from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds.
San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said the investigation will proceed as a hate crime “until it’s not.” At a news conference on May 18. Wahl added that “there was definitely hate rhetoric that was involved. ” while also saying authorities had not identified a specific threat to the mosque. “We will leave no stone unturned. ” Mark Remily. special agent in charge of the FBI’s San Diego field office. said.
The sequence of violence has left the community wrestling with two different questions at once: what pushed the suspects to act, and whether earlier warning signs were missed—especially as police say a mother had already contacted law enforcement hours before the shooting.
The fundraiser and community statements have focused on the men killed.
The security guard who died has been identified as Amin Abdullah. according to confirmation by the San Diego branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. CAIR San Diego and the mosque’s online fundraiser had received more than $1.5 million in donations in less than 24 hours. According to the fundraiser, Abdullah was a husband and father.
“He wasn’t just a guard. He was the first face of that community to anyone who came through the door – and the last line of defense when it mattered most,” the fundraiser said.
Wahl credited Abdullah’s actions with preventing the attack from becoming worse. “We do believe the security guard was able to help at least minimize the situation to the front area of the mosque. ” Wahl said. “I don’t want to speculate. but at this point I think it’s fair to say his actions were heroic. and undoubtedly he saved lives today.”.
As of May 19, authorities had not identified the other two victims, but said they had notified family members.
In a statement. the Islamic Center described the three men as “pillars of our community.” It said Abdullah gave his life “protecting the children and community members of our masjid.” The statement also mourned “Another pillar. the foundation of our masjid. whose dedication. service. and love helped build and strengthen this community from the very beginning. ” and “Our valiant brother. whose kindness. sincerity. and unwavering spirit touched everyone around him.” It added that their absence “leaves a void that can never truly be filled. ” calling them “more than community members” and “family.”.
Police said the suspected shooters were 17 and 18 years old, and they did not release their identities.
Hours before the shooting was reported, the suspect’s mother contacted police. About two hours before police received the call about the active shooter at the mosque. she reported that three of her weapons. her car. and her son were gone. Police said she believed her son was suicidal. Wahl said the mother also told officers her son was with a companion, and that they were dressed in camouflage.
The information the mother provided led police to raise concern quickly. Wahl said: “The information that she was gathering and conveying to us began to elevate the threat level that we were perceiving.”
Police also said the mother found a note, but did not reveal its contents.
As officers tried to locate the missing vehicle tied to the report. they used automated license plate recognition to track it. Police said they responded to a mall as a possible threat location near where the vehicle had been spotted. They also sent officers to the area of the school one teen was associated with; later. police learned he attended a virtual online program.
By the time the first reports of gunfire came in, police were already working to locate the suspects.
The investigation continues with a hate crime inquiry underway on May 19. and the case remains centered on whether the “hate rhetoric” Wahl referenced can be tied to specific planning or threats. Investigators still have not publicly identified all victims. nor have they released information about the content of the note the suspect’s mother reported finding.
For a community that has now lost three men—one described by authorities as having acted heroically at the scene—the answers arriving in the wake of May 18 are not just legal or forensic. They come with the weight of uncertainty about what warning signs were present. what was said. and how quickly the system could respond once violence began.
San Diego mosque shooting Islamic Center of San Diego hate crime investigation Scott Wahl FBI San Diego Amin Abdullah CAIR fundraiser