A shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego has left five dead, including two teenage shooters who reportedly died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Authorities are investigating the incident as a hate crime.
Key points
Shooting at Islamic Center of San Diego leaves five dead
Two teenage shooters died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds
Police investigating the incident as a hate crime
FBI is also conducting an investigation
Mentioned in this story
Islamic Center of San DiegoSan Diego
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San Diego police are investigating a shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego in Clairemont, Calif., as a hate crime. Authorities responded to a call from the center yesterday and found three people dead. They also found two teenagers, who they believe were the shooters, dead in a car. Police believe they died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds. They were 17 and 18 years old. San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said "there was definitely hate rhetoric involved," but did not explain further. The FBI says it is also conducting an investigation.
Police stage at the scene of a shooting outside the Islamic Center of San Diego Monday, May 18, 2026, in San Diego, Calif.
Police stage at the scene of a shooting outside the Islamic Center of San Diego Monday, May 18, 2026, in San Diego, Calif.
Gregory Bull/AP
Gregory Bull/AP
🎧 Authorities have not released the identities of the shooting suspects and victims, NPR's Juliana Kim tells Up First. Wahl mentioned that one of the victims was a security guard at the center. Kim says families waited hours for their children to evacuate from the school inside the mosque. One of the parents, Montaser Barbakh, told her he was shocked by the shooting but also said that he has always been worried about the possibility of such an attack. Barbakh said he felt that places of worship are increasingly under attack.
Q&A
What happened at the Islamic Center of San Diego?
A shooting occurred, resulting in five deaths, including two teenage shooters who died from self-inflicted wounds.
Why is the San Diego mosque shooting being investigated as a hate crime?
Police Chief Scott Wahl indicated that hate rhetoric was involved in the incident, prompting the hate crime investigation.
Who were the shooters in the San Diego mosque shooting?
The shooters were two teenagers, aged 17 and 18, who were found dead in a car at the scene.
Is the FBI involved in the investigation of the San Diego shooting?
Yes, the FBI is conducting an investigation into the shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego.
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Kim Raff for NPR
Kim Raff for NPR
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Picture show
Scottsdale, Arizona, May 1, 2026: (L-R) Rex, the tortoise, at Brian and Sara WestfallÕs home, who fostered him while they searched for his owner, in Scottsdale, Arizona, May 1, 2026. (Photo by Adriana Zehbrauskas for NPR)
Scottsdale, Arizona, May 1, 2026:
(L-R) Rex, the tortoise, at Brian and Sara WestfallÕs home, who fostered him while they searched for his owner, in Scottsdale, Arizona, May 1, 2026. (Photo by Adriana Zehbrauskas for NPR)
Adriana Zehbrauskas for NPR/57999420m
Adriana Zehbrauskas for NPR/57999420m
On a recent spring evening, a large tortoise named Rex got loose, took a stroll down a sidewalk and left a Phoenix-area neighborhood in a tizzy trying to find his owners. Rex's venture highlighted the challenges that sulcata tortoise owners face. They might start out tiny, but adult African sulcatas are the world's third-largest tortoise. The U.S. banned the importation of these animals in the early 2000s, but breeding them remains legal. They can weigh up to 200 pounds and live for up to 150 years. Rex, in particular, is at least a couple of feet long. These tortoises need large grassy enclosures for roaming, along with access to clean water and dry, warm shelter in winter. They also dig. Many people are unaware of these needs when they purchase African sulcatas. Check out these photos of Rex's journey back to his owners and read more about sulcata tortoises.
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Fire and smoke mark the spot where UPS Flight 2976 crashed shortly after takeoff near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville, Kentucky.
UPS Flight 2976 crashed shortly after takeoff near Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville, Kentucky.
Stephen Cohen/Getty Images
Stephen Cohen/Getty Images
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A state judge in Manhattan ruled yesterday that prosecutors can present a gun, a silencer and a notebook found with Luigi Mangione during his arrest at a Pennsylvania McDonald's to the jury. Several other items he had will not be allowed in the high-profile trial for the fatal shooting of the UnitedHealthcare CEO on a Midtown street. (via Gothamist)
