SAN DIEGO — Three men were killed in a shooting outside the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday, authorities said, in an attack that police are investigating as a possible hate crime.
San Diego police said officers responded to reports of an active shooter at the Islamic Center of San Diego, the largest mosque in the county, at about 11:43 a.m. local time. Within minutes, they found three adult male victims with gunshot wounds outside the building, all of whom were pronounced dead at the scene, police said.
One of the victims was a security guard at the center who police credited with helping limit the attack's impact. San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said the guard "played a pivotal role in assisting from this being much worse."
Two teenage suspects were later found dead in a vehicle a short distance away from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds, authorities said. Police identified the suspects as Cain Clark, 17, and Caleb Vazquez (also reported as Vasquez), 19.
The Islamic Center of San Diego includes a school, and officials said teachers, students and staff inside the building were safe. A 9-year-old boy who was at the center during the shooting described huddling in a classroom.
Police said they were already searching for the two teenagers after the mother of one suspect contacted authorities hours earlier to report him missing, along with a vehicle and firearms. Investigators are examining evidence of hate rhetoric in connection with the attack and have involved the FBI.
"The investigation is ongoing, and we are treating this as a possible hate crime until we determine otherwise," officials have stated. No further details on a potential motive have been released.
The names of the three victims have been reported by some outlets as Amin Abdullah, Mansour Kaziha and Nader Awad, though police have not yet publicly confirmed all identities. Abdullah, the security guard, was described by community members as a father of eight and a convert to Islam who took on the role after the 2019 Christchurch mosque attacks.
As of Tuesday, authorities continued to seek tips from the public and were reviewing surveillance and other evidence. A fundraiser for one victim's family had raised significant donations, community reports indicated.
The Islamic Center of San Diego has not issued a detailed public statement beyond confirming the safety of those inside during the incident. No charges have been filed as both suspects are deceased.
