At least three men have been killed after gunfire broke out outside the Islamic Center of San Diego, sending children into lockdown inside classrooms at an attached Islamic day school.
Police said two teenage suspects opened fire outside the mosque complex on Monday, killing three men affiliated with the centre, including a security guard who authorities say helped prevent further casualties.
A nine-year-old pupil, Odai Shanah, described the terrifying moment he and classmates were rushed into a closet as multiple gunshots rang out outside the building.
“We heard a bunch of bad stuff… people laying down,” he said, recalling how students trembled as police SWAT teams later moved through the building ordering them to evacuate.
Authorities confirmed that the gunmen did not enter the interior of the mosque complex and that all students at the attached Bright Horizon Academy were safely accounted for after the incident.
The suspects later died by suicide several blocks away, according to police.
Law enforcement officers said a security guard was among those killed outside the mosque and was credited with helping prevent a larger loss of life.
The shooting prompted a major emergency response, with SWAT teams clearing classrooms and escorting children to safety as frightened students were assembled in lines outside the complex.
The incident has deeply affected the surrounding community, particularly families connected to the Islamic Center, many of whom have ties to regions affected by conflict abroad.
The child witness, whose family has roots in Gaza and Jordan, said he felt “like a rock” from fear as events unfolded.
Authorities have not yet released a confirmed motive for the attack, and investigations are ongoing.
The case has raised renewed concerns about gun violence at religious and educational institutions in the United States, particularly in community-based learning environments.
