Mass Police Response At Islamic Center Of San Diego In Clairemont Leaves Five Dead As SDPD Says Suspects Are Deceased And Threat Has Been "Neutralized"

A massive police and tactical law enforcement response descended Monday afternoon on the Islamic Center of San Diego in Clairemont following reports of an active shooter situation that prompted shelter-in-place warnings, school lockdowns and widespread panic across the area. Authorities have now confirmed that five people are dead, including three victims and two deceased suspects, while San Diego Police say there is no further threat to the community. 

Authorities responded to the Islamic Center of San Diego at 7050 Eckstrom Avenue after initial reports of gunfire and a possible active shooter at the mosque and adjacent pre-K through third grade school campus. Witnesses described seeing a flood of law enforcement vehicles, including SWAT units and patrol cars, racing northbound on Interstate 805 toward the Balboa Avenue corridor as the incident rapidly unfolded.

During an afternoon press conference, San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl stated that officers arrived on scene within approximately four minutes of the initial 911 call and immediately encountered three deceased victims outside the mosque complex. Officers then rapidly deployed into both the mosque and adjacent school campus using active shooter response protocols while additional emergency calls continued coming in from nearby blocks reporting gunfire. Chief Wahl stated that officers immediately transitioned from locating victims outside the mosque to conducting an active shooter entry into both the Islamic Center and adjacent school campus amid fears additional gunmen could still be inside. 

According to authorities, the death toll currently stands at five people total — three victims and the two suspects believed responsible for the shooting. Chief Wahl stated that officers responding to reports of gunfire near the 3800 block of Hatton Street located a vehicle stopped in the middle of the roadway containing the two suspects, both deceased from what investigators believe were self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Authorities reportedly do not believe any additional suspects remain outstanding at this time. 

Police also stated during Monday’s briefing that the two deceased suspects were 17 and 19 years old. Authorities have not yet publicly released their identities. 

Chief Wahl stated that all children associated with the Islamic school on campus were safely evacuated and accounted for. “All kids are safe,” authorities emphasized during the briefing. 

Additional reports indicate at least one of the deceased victims was a security guard working at the Islamic Center campus at the time of the shooting, although authorities have not yet officially released the identities of the victims pending notification of family members. 
As of publication, there has been no official confirmation regarding any additional casualties or injuries connected to the incident, although reports claim Sharp Memorial Hospital received patients related to the shooting. Sharp Memorial Hospital spokesperson Alicia Cook confirmed the hospital activated disaster response procedures and coordinated with county agencies in response to the emergency. 

Earlier in the response, San Diego Police urged nearby residents to remain indoors while officers secured and cleared the area. Reports also circulated that nearby schools were temporarily placed on lockdown as a precaution. Surrounding neighborhoods were advised to shelter in place while law enforcement worked to secure the scene. 
Video from the scene showed an enormous emergency response presence surrounding the Islamic Center campus, including heavily armed SWAT officers, armored vehicles, fire crews and ambulances staged throughout the Clairemont neighborhood as authorities established a large perimeter around the mosque and nearby school facilities.

Authorities also revealed that officers simultaneously responded to multiple additional reports of gunfire away from the mosque campus. Chief Wahl stated that a landscaper in the 7100 block of Salerno Street reported being shot at but was fortunately not struck. Moments later, officers located a vehicle in the middle of the roadway near the 3800 block of Hatton Street containing the two deceased suspects believed connected to the attack.  

Imam Taha Hassane, director of the Islamic Center of San Diego, later stated in a social media video that all children, teachers and staff associated with the Islamic school on campus were safely evacuated and accounted for. “The entire school is safe,” Hassane stated, while asking the public to stay away from the mosque campus for the remainder of the day. 

The Islamic Center of San Diego is one of the region’s largest and longest-operating Muslim community institutions, serving thousands of worshippers and families across San Diego County. Founded in the 1970s, the mosque and community campus in Clairemont has grown into a major religious, educational and cultural hub for the local Muslim community, offering daily prayers, youth programs, religious education, interfaith outreach and a full-time Islamic school. The center has long played a visible role in San Diego civic and charitable life, hosting community events, food drives and outreach initiatives while serving congregants from diverse ethnic and national backgrounds throughout the region. 
The mosque campus also shares property with Bright Horizon Academy, a private Islamic school serving pre-K through 12th grade students. Publicly available school records indicate enrollment of more than 350 students across its campuses, though older students reportedly attend classes at a separate location from the lower campus adjacent to the mosque. 

The timing of the incident is especially significant within the Muslim community, as Monday marks the beginning of Dhul Hijjah, the final and among the holiest months of the Islamic calendar. The sacred period leads up to Eid al-Adha and the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, a time when many Muslim families increase prayer, fasting, charitable acts and mosque attendance. The Islamic Center of San Diego would likely have been preparing for heightened religious activity and gatherings associated with the holiday period. 

Authorities later stated that the scene remains “active but contained,” with significant law enforcement resources still operating at the location. SDPD reportedly stated the threat had been “neutralized” shortly before 1 p.m. Monday. Police have also established a reunification center for family members and loved ones at 4125 Hathaway Street in San Diego as officers continue clearing and securing the campus. 

The FBI confirmed Monday afternoon that agents from the bureau’s San Diego field office are assisting local law enforcement agencies as investigators continue processing the scene. Federal authorities described the situation as “active and fluid” while the investigation remains ongoing. 

Both San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and California Governor Gavin Newsom have reportedly been briefed on the developing situation. Gloria later publicly thanked law enforcement and first responders, stating there was believed to be “no ongoing threat” to the surrounding community. Newsom’s office also confirmed that the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services was coordinating with local authorities as the situation continued developing.

Speaking during Monday afternoon’s press conference, Mayor Todd Gloria directly addressed San Diego’s Muslim community, stating, “To our local Muslim community, our prayers are with you.” Gloria said city leaders want the Muslim community to continue feeling safe in San Diego and pledged that officials would “do what it takes” to accomplish that goal. The mayor also expressed immense gratitude for the coordinated law enforcement response, stating, “This is what we train for. This is what we budget for.” 

The San Diego chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) condemned the shooting, calling it a “horrifying act of violence” and noting that no one should fear for their safety while attending prayers or school activities at a religious institution. Another local Muslim organization, the Muslim Community Center of San Diego, announced it was canceling activities and closing for the remainder of the day out of safety concerns following the shooting.

Several nearby residents described hearing bursts of rapid gunfire and witnessing children being evacuated from the school campus in orderly lines as heavily armed officers secured the area. One witness told reporters she observed a uniformed security officer being struck by gunfire before emergency responders flooded the neighborhood.

Chief Wahl described the law enforcement mobilization as one of the most extraordinary responses he had witnessed in nearly three decades of policing, stating that agencies from across San Diego County rapidly converged on the scene during the unfolding attack. He added that many additional details surrounding the shooting are expected to emerge in the coming days as investigators continue processing evidence and conducting interviews. 

Authorities also indicated during Monday’s briefing that investigators are considering the possibility that the attack may constitute a hate crime, though officials cautioned that the motive investigation remains in its early stages and no final determinations have yet been made. 

Because active shooter situations often involve rapidly evolving and conflicting information, many details remain unconfirmed as investigators continue processing the scene. Authorities have not yet released information regarding a possible motive or whether the incident may have specifically targeted the mosque.

The San Diego Police Department has continued asking the public to avoid the area while the investigation remains active.

This is a developing story and will be updated as additional information becomes available.

Originally published on May 18, 2026.