Update 3:15 p.m. — San Diego Police confirm that five people are dead, including three victims, all adult men, as well as two teenage suspects who appear to have died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds.
The San Diego Police Department said all three of the victims were adult men.
The two suspects were identified only as two teenagers. Police said the two suspects appear to have died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds.
By Miriam Raftery
Photo via ECM news partner 10 News
May 19, 2026 (San Diego) — San Diego Police including a SWAT team are on scene at the Islamic Center of San Diego (7050 Eckstrom Ave. in Clairemont Mesa) in response to an active shooter. Imam Tahah Hassane posted on Facebook, “My family and I are safe at this moment. The Islamic Center of San Diego is closed for the rest of the day. There are a few casualties, unfortunately. Your prayers are needed.”
The public is urged to avoid the area. The northbound and southbound I-805 offramps to Balboa Avenue have been shut down due to the police activity.
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria issued this statement via Twitter/X on the incident: “I am aware of the active shooter situation at the Islamic Center of San Diego in Clairemont and am continuing to receive updates from law enforcement. Emergency personnel are on scene and actively working to protect the community and secure the area.”
The Muslim Community Center of San Diego’s Board of Directors sent this message to community members: “Assalam Alaikum wa rahmatullähi wa barakatuh, Due to the unfortunate shooting incident at Islamic Center of San Diego, we are closing all activities at MCC for today. For your safety, please do not visit MCC today. We will announce when the situation improves for mosque activities. May Allah (SWT) protect our community, keep everyone safe, and grant ease to all during this situation.”
Linda Sarsour, a Palestinian-American activist and author, posted on Facebook, “Shooting just took place at the Islamic Center of San Diego where our beloved Imam Taha Hassane is the imam. He’s fine. Spoke to him a few minutes ago. Two are dead including the mosque security guard but it’s not clear yet whether the other was the shooter or a mosque attendee. Please pray that everyone is safe. Sending duas to our beloved Muslim community in San Diego. I always tell people that this Islamic Center is a model for the rest of the country. Rooted in community, solidarity and faith.”
Congressman Scott Peters, whose district includes the mosque, posted on social media, “My office and I are aware of and monitoring this horrific situation and will share updates as we learn more. Right now, I’m praying for any victims and I thank our brave first responders on the scene.”
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) San Diego Executive Director Tazheen Nizam said in a statement, “We strongly condemn this horrifying act of violence at the Islamic Center of San Diego. Our thoughts are with everyone impacted by this attack. No one should ever fear for their safety while attending prayers or studying at an elementary school. We are working to learn more about this incident and we encourage everyone to keep this community in your prayers.”
CAIR offers a “Best Practices for Mosque and Community Safety” booklet to help keep religious facilities safe. The advice in the booklet is applicable to all houses of worship. According to CAIR’s most recent civil rights report, complaints of anti-Muslim bias and discrimination have continued to rise nationwide, reflecting an ongoing pattern of Islamophobia impacting communities across the country.
Washington, D.C., based CAIR encourages community members facing bias or hate incidents to report them to law enforcement and to CAIR. Report an incident to CAIR: https://www.cair.com/report/
Hate crimes against other places of worship have been on the rise in recent years, including the deadly 2019 shooting at the Chabad synagogue in Poway that killed one person and injured others.
The Jewish Federation of San Diego issued a statement indicating it has placed its facility on lockdown as a precaution. “We are praying for the safety and well-being of all those impacted, and stand with all members of our broader community during this difficult and uncertain moment. We recognize that situations like this can cause fear and uncertainty across the broader community. We are grateful for the swift response of law enforcement and security personnel who are working to assess and respond to the situation.”