Overview of the San Diego Mosque Attack Suspects
The two teenage suspects involved in the gun attack at a San Diego mosque expressed a "broad hatred" towards multiple religions and racial groups, according to authorities.
The violent incident on Monday resulted in five fatalities, including the two attackers.
While authorities have not officially disclosed a motive, San Diego's police chief indicated the attack is being investigated as a potential hate crime.
The suspects were discovered deceased from apparent self-inflicted wounds inside a vehicle located a few blocks from the mosque, police reported.
Timeline of the Attack
Authorities responded to reports of an active shooter at the Islamic Center of San Diego at 11:43 local time on Monday.
San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl stated that officers arrived on the scene four minutes later and found three men deceased outside the mosque.
As officers initiated active shooter protocols, they received an additional call reporting gunfire from a vehicle directed at a landscaper nearby; fortunately, the landscaper was unharmed.
Chief Wahl revealed that around 09:40 local time, the mother of one of the suspects contacted police to report that her son had taken her firearms and car and had run away.
She expressed concern that her son might be suicidal and mentioned he could be with a friend. She also described him as wearing camouflage clothing.
Later, less than a quarter of a mile from the mosque, police found the two suspects, aged 17 and 18, deceased from self-inflicted wounds inside a vehicle.
Victims of the Attack
The three victims have been identified as Amin Abdullah, Nader Awad, and Mansour Kaziha, according to Tazheen Nizam, spokeswoman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations-San Diego (Cair-SD).
Abdullah served as a security guard at the mosque and was a father of eight children.
Police stated that Abdullah's actions prevented the attack from becoming more severe.
"It's fair to say [Abdullah's] actions were heroic," Wahl said. "Undoubtedly, he saved lives today."
A family friend told the Associated Press that Abdullah was well-known within the mosque community and had worked there for over ten years.
Nizam described Abdullah to the BBC:
"Amin was loved by everybody, he stood there day after day, always smiling, welcoming everybody, welcoming the kids who came to the school. He was a shining light. He is a true hero, a martyr."
Awad's children were raised in the mosque, and his wife is a teacher at the mosque's school, Nizam added.
Kaziha contributed by maintaining the mosque's grounds and its convenience store, according to Cair-SD.
Information About the Attackers
The names of the alleged attackers have not been officially released by authorities, although some US media outlets have reported them.
Police confirmed the suspects were 17 and 18 years old.
During searches of three residences linked to the suspects, authorities seized over 30 firearms and a crossbow.
The weapons, which included numerous pistols, rifles, and shotguns, were registered to one of the suspect's parents.
Additionally, ammunition, tactical gear, and mobile phones belonging to the teenagers were confiscated.
Chief Wahl emphasized that the shooting is being investigated as a hate crime, noting the involvement of "hate rhetoric."
FBI Special Agent Mark Remily stated that a search of the suspects' vehicle uncovered writings and various ideologies outlining religious and racial beliefs about the world they envisioned.
"These subjects did not discriminate on who they hated," Remily said.
Authorities also recovered a document indicating that the suspects' hatred encompassed a wide range of races and religions.
Chief Wahl mentioned on Tuesday that investigators are still working to determine the "intended target location" and the full scope of the threat.
Authorities indicated the two suspects were radicalized online but did not provide further details on the process. They met online and later discovered they both resided in the San Diego area.
