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Fatal Shooting Occurs Near San Diego Islamic Center

pakistan-news
Pakistan News May 19, 2026
Last Updated: 6 days ago

A nine-year-old boy has described his terror during Monday’s deadly shooting at a San Diego mosque, where a security guard and two other men were killed by two teenage gunmen. Odai Shanah was in his classroom at the Bright Horizon Academy, located within the Islamic Centre of San Diego, when the attack began. The suspects, aged 17 and 18, were later found dead from self-inflicted gunshot wounds in a nearby vehicle.

Shanah recounted hearing a barrage of gunshots from outside, prompting teachers to usher him and his classmates into a closet. Huddled together and trembling, the children heard another 12 to 16 shots ring out while they hid. The gunmen never breached the interior of the complex, but the fear inside was palpable.

The ordeal ended for the children when a police SWAT team shouted from outside the classroom to open the door. “They told us to put our hands up and form a big line,” Shanah said. He described being escorted out by officers, witnessing them kick in the door of an adjacent classroom as they methodically cleared the building.

As they were evacuated, the students witnessed a horrific scene. “We saw a bunch of bad stuff, people laying down,” Shanah said, referring to the victims’ bodies. Describing the physical toll of the fear, he added, “My legs were shaking and my hands and my head were like hurting a lot. I felt like a rock.”

Authorities are investigating the shooting as a hate crime and have hailed the slain security guard as a hero for preventing greater bloodshed. San Diego police had been alerted hours before the attack by the mother of one of the gunmen, who reported him as a suicidal runaway who had taken her vehicle and three firearms. All students were accounted for and physically unharmed in the incident.

🔄 Latest Updates

Updated: 6:00 AM PKT — May 20, 2026

The mother of the 17-year-old suspect had contacted police before the attack, reporting her son had taken her car and several weapons from their home. The security guard who was killed in the shooting was a father of eight.

Updated: 2:52 AM PKT — May 20, 2026

The San Diego Police Chief has preliminarily classified the attack as a hate crime. The slain security guard was a father of eight who saved lives by confronting the attackers. The suspected assailants were aged between 17 and 19.

Updated: 10:27 PM PKT — May 19, 2026

The San Diego Police Chief confirmed that initial investigations point to a hate-based crime, sparking concerns about Islamophobia in the United States. The security guard, who was killed while trying to stop the attackers, was a father of eight.

Updated: 7:21 PM PKT — May 19, 2026

The security guard killed during the attack was a father of eight. According to the San Diego police chief, the guard saved lives by confronting the attackers. The chief has also made a preliminary assessment that the shooting was a hate crime.

Updated: 6:48 PM PKT — May 19, 2026

The attack occurred at the Islamic Center of San Diego County in California. While earlier information suggested two perpetrators, subsequent reports indicate a single assailant opened fire before taking their own life.

Updated: 5:57 PM PKT — May 19, 2026

The father of one of the teenage suspects had reported his car and several weapons missing from his home before the attack occurred. This information was confirmed by authorities investigating the source of the firearms used in the shooting.

Updated: 5:10 PM PKT — May 19, 2026

The slain security guard was a Muslim father of eight who is being credited with saving the lives of dozens of worshippers. The incident has drawn widespread condemnation, with activists linking the attack to a rise in Islamophobia in the United States.

Updated: 4:46 PM PKT — May 19, 2026

The age of the older suspect was 19. Prior to the shooting, the mother of the 17-year-old had reported to authorities that her car and several weapons were missing from her home.

Updated: 1:17 PM PKT — May 19, 2026

The slain security guard, a father of eight, is being hailed as a hero for sacrificing his life to save children and teachers. In the wake of the attack, various political figures have condemned what they described as a rise of Islamophobia in the United States.

Updated: 9:32 AM PKT — May 19, 2026

The death toll in the attack has now risen to four, with a security guard and three other people killed. Reports indicate the two assailants died from suicide following a shootout with police. U.S. President Trump has called the event “disturbing.”

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