00:00My name is Taha Hassan. I'm the Imam and Director of the Islamic Center of San Diego.
00:05I know it's time of sorrow, time of sadness. We have never experienced a tragedy like this before
00:15and at this moment all what I can say is sending our prayers and standing in solidarity
00:23with all the families in our community here and also the other mosques and all the places of worship
00:35in our beautiful city should always be protected. It is extremely outrageous to target a place of worship.
00:48Our Islamic Center is a place of worship. People come to the Islamic Center to pray,
00:55to celebrate, to learn. Not only Muslims but we have people from all walks of life just this morning,
01:04earlier, a group of people, non-Muslims coming just to learn about our faith and our cultures.
01:14So this is something that we have never expected and I would like also to
01:20thank all the people who contacted us from all over the country and even from overseas
01:27to give condolences and to ask about is there anything they can do to help. And I would like
01:33also to thank our local authorities, our San Diego Police Department, the FBI, the San Diego Police
01:41Department, FBI and all the Sheriff Department, our Mayor, for showing up and standing in solidarity
01:49with us. So this is what I have to say. Thank you so much.
02:06All of the kids are safe.
02:13On May 18th, 2026, a deadly shooting unfolded at the Islamic Center of San Diego in California's
02:21Claremont Mesa East neighborhood, one of the largest mosques in San Diego County, which also
02:27includes a school campus. Authorities say two teenage suspects carried out the attack during the
02:34late morning hours, triggering a swift emergency response. Three adult men were killed outside the mosque,
02:41including a security guard and two staff members. There is no further threat. Both suspects,
02:48in this case, are deceased. All of the kids are safe.
02:58Our hearts go out to the families that are in this moment being notified of what has happened to
03:05their loved ones. We have three confirmed adults that are deceased at the Islamic Center.
03:14Officials say the security guard acted heroically, slowing the attackers and preventing them from entering
03:20the mosque and school areas, potentially saving many lives inside. A nearby landscaper was also targeted,
03:28but survived after a bullet was reportedly deflected, possibly by protective gear. In total,
03:35five people died, including the two suspects, who were later found inside a vehicle a few blocks away
03:42with self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Police confirmed that no officers fired their weapons during the incident.
03:50Investigators say the attack began after one suspect's mother contacted authorities earlier
03:56that morning, reporting her son missing, suicidal, and in possession of multiple firearms. The suspects
04:04were later seen traveling in a white BMW and wearing camouflage-style clothing. Writings and markings
04:11indicating anti-Islamic sentiment, along with a suicide note. The incident is being investigated as a
04:18possible hate crime, though officials say the full motive is still under review. The Islamic Center was
04:25safely evacuated and has since been closed indefinitely. Security has been increased at mosques across
04:32multiple cities following the attack. Local and state officials condemned the violence and praised first
04:39responders for their quick action. President Donald Trump was also briefed on the incident. He called
04:46it a terrible situation and said the United States would look into it very strongly.
04:55They're giving a briefing on it a little while at the mosque. They're giving a briefing
04:59and it's a terrible situation. I've been given some early updates, but we're going to be going
05:05back and looking at it very strongly. The investigation remains ongoing.
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