A Ring camera captured gunshots during the May 18 shooting outside the Islamic Center of San Diego, where a man pushing a stroller dove for cover. Police say three men were killed, and two teen suspects later died in a nearby vehicle. The police chief said inv
Gunshots tore through a San Diego neighborhood on May 18, and in a security video that a homeowner shared afterward, panic hits in a single, terrifying motion: a man pushing a stroller suddenly drops his head and dives for cover.
José Rodriguez was walking with his son in Clairemont. about 10 miles north of downtown. when the shots echoed after two teenage suspects opened fire at the Islamic Center of San Diego. In the footage, Rodriguez runs toward his yard for protection and tips the stroller over as the gunfire continues. He quickly gets the stroller upright and darts out of frame. The audio captures about eight shots. and a white SUV—believed to be the vehicle the suspects were driving—swerves past.
Rodriguez told a reporter that he was able to keep the vehicle in view until it stopped short distance away. He then called 911 so authorities could identify where the suspects and vehicle were located. Rodriguez and his son were not injured.
The San Diego Police Department received reports of an active shooter at the Islamic Center of San Diego at around 11:43 a.m. local time on May 18. Minutes later, officers found three men dead outside the mosque, including a security guard.
During a news conference, San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said the security officer likely helped prevent further bloodshed. He also said the two suspects—ages 17 and 18—were later found dead in a vehicle nearby. Police said the deaths appeared to be from self-inflicted gunshot wounds.
Hate crime investigation
At the late afternoon news conference, Wahl said investigators are looking at the shooting as a hate crime.
“At this point, there was definitely hate rhetoric that was involved,” Wahl said. “I’ll leave it at that for now.”
He later noted that there had been no specific threat made against the Islamic Center of San Diego or any other facilities. Wahl said police were aware of “generalized hate rhetoric” in the case and that the mother of one of the suspects found a note the suspect left behind. though he declined to provide additional details.
The Islamic center has about 5,000 members in its congregation, according to CBS 8 San Diego. The center also houses the Bright Horizon Academy, a school providing Islamic education, Reuters reported.
What remains clear is how the violence unfolded in minutes. not hours: Rodriguez’s Ring footage shows a sudden attack in his neighborhood. and police say the response and aftermath moved quickly—from reports around 11:43 a.m. to the discovery of three dead outside the mosque and the later discovery of the two teen suspects dead in a nearby vehicle.
San Diego shooting Islamic Center of San Diego Ring camera José Rodriguez Clairemont Scott Wahl hate crime investigation teen suspects Bright Horizon Academy