Los Angeles, US (EFE).- At least five people, including the two shooters, were killed in an attack on the largest mosque in San Diego County, California, on Monday.
San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl told the press that five people died at the Islamic Center of San Diego, including the two suspected attackers and three adults.
According to preliminary investigations by the FBI, the two alleged perpetrators of the shooting died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds and were two males between 17 and 19 years old.
Their bodies were found in a vehicle near the mosque. One of the deceased was a security guard who helped contain the incident.
«One of the deceased is a security guard that works there, and I think played a pivotal role in assisting from this being much worse,” the chief said.
Wahl added that the investigation into this tragic event will require a lot of work in the coming days and weeks.
He specified that the authorities are investigating the incident as a potential hate crime until proven otherwise.
Wahl concluded by expressing his condolences to the victims, their families, and the Muslim community.
Around 12:00 pm local time, San Diego police deployed a large operation at the Islamic Center of San Diego after learning of an «active shooter» in the area.
Images shared on social media and television show several people, some of them minors, moving away from the mosque while holding hands and being escorted by security officers.
The attack comes amid a recent increase in violence against the Muslim community and places of worship in the United States.
The center, located in the Clairemont neighborhood of San Diego, is the largest mosque in the county and a key meeting point for the local community.EFE
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