An incident with consequences for religious life in the US

Authorities in the United States have announced that three people have been killed at a complex that houses a mosque and an Islamic school in San Diego, in a suspected hate-motivated attack.

San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said that the two attackers in the incident at the Islamic Center of San Diego in Southern California on Monday, May 18, were were also found dead with apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds.

“Due to the location of the Islamic Center, we are treating this as a hate crime until it is determined,” Wahl told reporters, according to Al Jazeera.

The suspects, believed to be 17 and 19 years old, according to the police chief. Authorities said they had “neutralized” the threat after an “active shooter” incident in the center. No school students were physically injured. Aerial footage showed a heavy police presence outside the mosque.

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria stressed that “hate has no place” in the city.

“Our local Muslim community, our prayers are with you. I want to assure our Muslim community that we will do everything we can to ensure that you feel safe in this city and that we will spare no resources to ensure that our institutions and places of worship protect themselves at this sensitive time,” Gloria said.

“We still have no details on a possible motive, but I am heartbroken for those students, worshipers and the Clairemont community. Everyone should be able to pray, worship and learn in peace,” U.S. Congresswoman Sara Jacobs, who represents San Diego, wrote on social media.

California Governor Gavin Neesom’s office said it was monitoring the situation and coordinating. with local law enforcement agencies: “We are grateful to the first responders on the scene who are working to protect the community and urge everyone to follow the directions of local authorities.”

FBI Director Kash Patel also said the agency’s local division was responding to the incident, promising that “all resources will be made available to assist local partners.”

ICSD is located in a residential area. in San Diego’s Clairemont neighborhood, north of downtown. Police said they had set up an assembly point for people in the area. The mosque posted on social media that students could be picked up from a nearby church. After the shooting, the New York Police Department said it was increasing security at mosques in the city.

“While there are currently no known connections to New York or specific threats to places of worship in New York, out of an abundance of caution, the NYPD is increasing its presence at mosques throughout the city,” the agency said.

Source: prizrenpost