US: 3 Dead in Indiscriminate Firing Outside San Diego Mosque; Attackers Also Kill Themselves

New Delhi: A deeply horrific incident involving gun violence and a hate crime has come to light in the United States. On Monday, two teenage gunmen opened indiscriminate fire outside the largest Islamic center located in San Diego County, California.

In this brutal attack, three people—including a security guard—died on the spot. After carrying out the crime, both attackers also committed suicide by shooting themselves in a nearby alley. The U.S. intelligence agency, the FBI, and local police are investigating the incident as a “suspected hate crime” targeting the Muslim community.

Bloody Rampage Just Before Afternoon Prayers

According to international news agencies, the incident occurred just before 12:00 PM, while people were present within the mosque complex. The sudden rattle of gunfire triggered panic, screams, and chaos among the worshippers and the children attending the day school located inside the premises.

San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl stated that immediately following the attack, a heavy police force took charge of the situation. All children studying at the day school within the mosque complex were safely evacuated; fortunately, not a single child was harmed.

When police arrived at the scene, they discovered the bodies of three men outside the mosque building, all of whom had been riddled with bullets. One of the deceased was the mosque’s security guard. Officials revealed that this brave security personnel risked his own life to prevent the attackers from entering the main building, thereby averting a massive massacre. Attackers’ Bodies Found in Car
Shortly after the attack, investigators discovered the bodies of two teenagers (aged 17 and 19) inside a suspicious car parked on a nearby street. Police believe that these two individuals were the primary shooters who carried out the mosque attack and subsequently shot themselves.

Reports also emerged of shots being fired at a landscaper just a few blocks away from the scene of the incident; however, the individual is safe, and the police are investigating whether this incident is connected to the mosque attack. Currently, the FBI and local agencies are scouring the attackers’ digital records to fully uncover the true motive and conspiracy behind this heinous hate crime.