In a suspected hate crime, two teenagers fatally shot three men at a mosque located in San Diego, . The police reported that the assailants took their own lives following the shooting.
The suspects were identified as17-year-old and18-year-old Caleb Velasquez, according to officials. Their bodies were discovered in a vehicle a few blocks away from the mosque.
Authorities were notified of the incident at the Islamic Centre of and found three victims suffering from gunshot wounds outside the front of the building.
Among the deceased was a security guard employed at the centre. Officials stated that he played a “pivotal role” in mitigating the severity of the attack. The security guard was a father of eight, as per CBS.
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One of suspects mother alerted police before San Diego shooting
Approximately two hours before the attack, the mother of one of the suspects contacted the police to inform them that her son had departed from their residence with several firearms belonging to her and her vehicle.
San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl stated that the police assessed the suspect’s actions as “not consistent” with those of an individual deemed suicidal.
A note left by the young man included phrases reflecting “generalised hate rhetoric and hate speech.” Wahl further said that the note did not contain any explicit threats directed at the mosque or any other place or person.
As officers were responding to the shooting incident at the mosque, additional reports of another shooting near the mosque were received. The suspects had fired upon a landscaper from their vehicle, according to Wahl.
San Diego shooting: Nearby schools placed under lockdown
When the incident occurred on Monday, classes were in session at Al Rashid School located on the campus. The institution provides courses in religion and language.
In response to the incident, nearby schools were placed under lockdown. A witness who spoke to CBS reported hearing as many as 30 gunshots, which appeared to originate from “a semi-automatic weapon.”
The Muslim community is presently getting ready for one of its most sacred seasons – Eid al-Adha, also known as the Festival of Sacrifice.
