Mother’s warning to police led to frantic search before deadly San Diego mosque attack

SAN DIEGO — A mother’s urgent call to police reporting that her teenage son was suicidal and possibly armed set off a fast-moving search Saturday that ended just hours later with a deadly shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, according to authorities and local news reports.

Police say the investigation is now focused on whether the attack, which left three men dead and the two suspected gunmen also dead from apparent self-inflicted wounds, was motivated by anti-Muslim hatred. San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said Monday the department is treating the case as a hate crime while investigators continue to piece together the sequence of events and the role of the teenagers, ages 17 and 18, who were found in a vehicle a few blocks from the mosque after the shooting.

The attack unfolded at the Islamic Center of San Diego, the largest mosque in San Diego County, where worshippers and community members were gathered when gunfire erupted. One of the victims, police said, was a mosque security guard whose actions may have prevented the death toll from being even higher.

A mother’s call and a widening police search

According to police, the first warning signs came well before the shooting. A mother contacted authorities after becoming concerned that her son had run away, was suicidal, and may have taken weapons with him. Police said the teenager had left with another youth, and the search for the pair was underway when the first emergency calls about shots fired at the mosque came in.

Chief Wahl said investigators were still working to determine the full extent of what the teenagers had planned and whether the attack targeted the mosque specifically or was part of a broader pattern of hateful rhetoric. He said there was no clear, specific threat made directly against the Islamic Center before the attack, but there was evidence of generalized anti-Muslim and hateful speech.

Law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation told local outlets that anti-Islamic writings were found in a vehicle and on at least one weapon linked to the suspects. Those findings, if confirmed, would add to the growing evidence that the attack was driven by extremist views rather than a personal dispute or random violence.

Three worshippers killed, security guard credited with saving lives

Police said three adult men were killed inside or near the mosque during the attack. The victim described by officers as a security guard was said to have played “a pivotal role” in stopping the violence from becoming even more deadly. Authorities have not yet publicly released the names of all the victims pending notification of families.

The two suspected gunmen were later found dead in a vehicle a short distance from the scene, according to police. Officers believe both died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds. The rapid sequence — from the mother’s call, to the active shooter response, to the discovery of the suspects — underscores how quickly the events escalated and how narrowly catastrophe may have been averted from becoming even worse.

Neighbors and members of the Muslim community gathered near the mosque in the aftermath, many shaken by the attack on a place of worship that serves as both a spiritual center and a community anchor. For many, the shooting revived painful memories of anti-Muslim violence elsewhere in the United States and raised fears about safety at religious institutions.

Authorities investigate hate crime motive

San Diego police are working with the FBI, which responded to the scene to assist in the investigation. Officials said the shooting is being examined as a possible hate crime, though they cautioned that the final determination will depend on evidence gathered from the scene, the suspects’ digital devices, interviews, and any writings or communications left behind.

At a press briefing, law enforcement leaders said investigators were trying to establish the full timeline, including when the suspects acquired their weapons, how they traveled to the mosque, and what happened in the moments before the shooting began. Authorities also asked the public to come forward with any information that could help clarify the motive or identify warning signs that may have been missed.

Federal agents have set up a digital tip line as part of the case, a sign that investigators are casting a wide net for evidence. That includes social media posts, text messages, photos, videos, and testimony from anyone who may have seen the suspects before or after the attack.

Questions over warning signs and prevention

The case is likely to fuel debate over how law enforcement and families can respond when a young person appears to be in crisis and may have access to firearms. In this case, police were already searching for one of the teens after his mother raised concerns. But the active shooter call arrived before officers had located him, leaving investigators to examine whether the tragedy might have been prevented or interrupted with more time.

Such cases often leave communities asking difficult questions: Were there enough warning signs? Were there opportunities to intervene? And how should schools, parents, and police coordinate when a young person displays both emotional distress and potential access to weapons?

Officials have not said whether the teenagers had any prior history with law enforcement or mental health services. Nor have they disclosed whether either suspect was connected to the mosque or known to worshippers. Those details may prove crucial as the investigation progresses.

Community grief and renewed concern

For San Diego’s Muslim community, the shooting has brought grief, fear, and uncertainty. Mosques are often places where families gather not only for prayer but also for classes, outreach, and mutual support. An attack at such a location can reverberate far beyond the immediate victims, affecting how people feel when they enter houses of worship, schools, and public spaces.

Community leaders and elected officials have condemned the violence, expressing solidarity with the victims and their families. The mosque, meanwhile, is expected to remain a focal point for vigils, support services, and a broader discussion about faith-based safety and hate-motivated violence.

As investigators continue to sort through evidence, the focus now is on answering two central questions: what drove the suspects to carry out the attack, and whether earlier intervention could have stopped them. For the families of the dead, however, those answers may come only after the immediate shock and loss have already taken hold.

What began as a mother’s desperate attempt to protect her son ended in one of the city’s most disturbing acts of violence in recent memory — a tragedy that has left a community mourning and officials searching for answers.