FBI Takes Action in San Diego Mosque Shooting Investigation
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is moving quickly to collect evidence in the wake of the shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego. Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Diego, Mark Remily, said the agency is coordinating closely with local police. ‘We are interviewing families and friends of the perpetrators, and our evidence-response technicians are gathering all evidence from the scene for review,’ Remily said at a press conference. ‘We will process everything as quickly as possible, but as thoroughly as possible.’ He added that the bomb squad had inspected and confirmed that the vehicle in which the two teenage suspects were found dead is in a safe condition.
‘We will continue to coordinate with our law enforcement partners and work closely with them as needed until we understand what happened,’ Remily said. ‘We will not leave any gap unexamined.’
‘Regarding the victims, Police Chief Scott Wahl said authorities will not release the identities of the three people who died in the near term to protect families’ privacy and to ensure the investigation proceeds smoothly. ‘We have just informed the families of the victims. We will not publish their identities at this time,’ Wahl said. ‘We are trying to protect what we have. There is more work to be done, and we want to reserve some of that for now.’
‘Wahl stated there is no specific threat directed at any particular facility in the records or weapon owned by one of the suspects who attacked the Islamic Center of San Diego. ’There is no specific threat, especially no specific threat against the Islamic Center. It was just a form of broad hate speech that I think covers a wide spectrum,’ he said. ‘Again, we are still actively investigating this as we speak, but it is more of a general matter.’
‘He also acknowledged the reality that religious facilities in the United States and worldwide now face safety risks. ’This is the bitter reality of the world we live in today. But I would say, of course, everyone feels the insecurity,’ he added.
The attack on the largest mosque in San Diego drew strong condemnation from public officials. California Governor Gavin Newsom said he and his wife were deeply affected by the assault, particularly because the site is a place where families, children and worshippers gather in peace. ‘Worshippers should not fear for their lives,’ Newsom said in a statement. ‘Hatred has no place in California, and we will not tolerate acts of terror or intimidation against faith communities.’
Similar condemnation came from New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who made history as the city’s first Muslim mayor. In a post on X, Mamdani stressed the real danger of anti-Islam sentiment. ‘Islamophobia harms Muslim communities across the country,’ he said. ‘We must confront it directly and stand together against fear-mongering and division.’
Along with Newsom and Mamdani, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and U.S. Representative Zoe Lofgren of California also voiced their condemnation of the incident.
Police in San Diego described the timeline of the shooting at the region’s largest mosque. It began with a report of a missing teenager and included security guard heroism.
New York and Los Angeles have heightened security at mosques following the San Diego shooting, with reports of notes with racist overtones.
At least five people were killed in the San Diego Islamic Center shooting; police and the FBI are investigating the incident as a possible hate crime.
The San Diego Police Department described the chronology of the incident, noting that it started with a missing-teen report and included the security guard’s heroic actions.
Tragically, the attack left three dead at the Islamic Center, while two teenage suspects were found dead by suicide.