5 Dead After Gunmen Storm San Diego Mosque

A deadly shooting at a San Diego mosque sent terror through a quiet California neighborhood Monday, leaving five people dead, including two suspected gunmen, as police rushed children out of nearby schools and swarmed the Islamic Center of San Diego.

Authorities said the suspects, believed to be 17 and 19 years old, died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds after the attack at the mosque in Clairemont. Police sources said five people in total were killed, including the two shooters.

One of the victims was a mosque security guard, who police said may have helped prevent an even greater tragedy.

“He played a pivotal role in assisting,” a San Diego police officer said at a press conference. “This could have been worse.”

The Council on American-Islamic Relations said at least one mosque member was killed in the attack. It was not immediately clear whether that person was the security guard or another victim.

The terrifying scene unfolded near several schools, including the Islamic School of San Diego, Clairemont Canyons Academy and Kavod Charter School. The Islamic Center campus also includes Al Rashid School, meaning children were nearby as gunfire erupted.

“School children attending school were inside during the attack,” CAIR said in a statement.

Video from the scene showed officers leading children away from the area as heavily armed police moved in. Emergency vehicles flooded the streets, yellow police tape blocked off the neighborhood, and witnesses watched in shock as first responders tried to save victims near the mosque.

Helicopter footage showed what appeared to be a person in a tactical vest lying dead outside the Islamic Center. Photos from the scene showed a body covered by a yellow tarp near what appeared to be ammunition.

Police said the attack began when a landscaper came under fire from the shooters. Between 50 and 100 officers responded to the scene, according to authorities, as the neighborhood was locked down and searched door to door.

“The threat at the Islamic center has been neutralized,” the San Diego Police Department posted on X shortly after 1 p.m.

Inside the Islamic Center, panic quickly turned into a desperate effort to get children, staff and worshippers to safety.

“We are safe, the entire school is safe,” Imam Taha Hassane said in a video circulated among members of California’s Muslim community. “All the kids, all the staff, and the teachers are safe and out of the Islamic Center.”

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said he was being briefed by law enforcement as emergency crews worked to secure the area.

“I am aware of the active shooter situation at the Islamic Center of San Diego in Clairemont and am continuing to receive updates from law enforcement,” Gloria wrote on X. “Emergency personnel are on scene and actively working to protect the community and secure the area.”

The shooting immediately sparked concern far beyond San Diego. Law enforcement agencies across the country, including the NYPD and Fairfax County Police Department in Virginia, said they were increasing patrols around mosques out of caution.

The attack comes at a time when houses of worship across America have faced growing concerns over security, hate-fueled violence and the safety of minority communities. For Muslim families in San Diego, the violence struck at the heart of a place meant to be safe: a mosque, a school and a community gathering space.

Police urged residents to avoid the area around 7050 Eckstrom Avenue while the scene remained active but contained. A reunification site was set up at 4125 Hathaway Street for families trying to find loved ones.

As investigators work to determine what led to the attack, one fact is already clear: a normal school day and day of worship turned into a nightmare, and a community is now grieving lives lost in a place where families came expecting peace.