San Diego Mosque Shooting a Possible ‘Hate Crime’; Investigators Outline Next Steps

After two teenagers shot and killed three men at the Islamic Center of San Diego on May 18 before turning the guns on themselves, authorities said they are investigating the incident as a possible hate crime.

The shooting occurred about two hours after the mother of one of the attackers called police to report her son had run away with a friend and might be suicidal. Police were already searching for the suspects when the attack began, and officers found three victims with gunshot wounds outside the building.

Samantha Vinograd, a national security contributor for CBS News, outlined the next steps investigators are expected to take following the deadly shooting:

• Identify the two teenage suspects as quickly as possible

• Obtain warrants to examine the suspects’ behavior and activities leading up to the attack

• Collect ballistic evidence from the scene

• Conduct forensic testing on weapons and other materials

• Trace where the firearms were purchased

• Investigate the motive behind the shooting

• Review the suspects’ social media accounts and online activity

• Determine whether the suspects had connections to foreign individuals or people in the United States

Officers had found the suspects, aged 17 and 18, dead of self-inflicted wounds in a vehicle blocks away from the mosque.

Investigators said one of the victims was a security guard who helped prevent additional casualties at the scene. He was the father of eight children.

In an official statement, FBI special agent in charge of the agency’s San Diego Field Office, Mark Remily, offered his “sincerest condolences” to the family and friends of the victims.

“There were two subjects, both teenagers, and both are confirmed deceased,” Remily said. “The FBI is meticulously assessing the situation and is prepared to employ every resource we have to uncover the facts of this incident. No community should have to go through such an incident, but we will work tirelessly until we learn the truth.”

Remily said the FBI has deployed special agents, task force officers, evidence response personnel, and victim specialists to assist with the investigation. Authorities also asked the public for patience as investigators work to determine the motive and gather facts connected to the shooting.

• Victim specialists have been deployed to the reunification center at 4125 Hathaway in San Diego

• Additional victim services personnel are being sent from Washington, D.C.

• FBI bomb technicians have cleared vehicles connected to the suspects

• Investigators are interviewing the suspects’ family members and friends

• Evidence response teams are collecting and reviewing evidence from the crime scene.

  Authorities said all evidence will be processed “as quickly—but as meticulously—as we can”

The Islamic Center of San Diego said it has established the Official ICSD Victim & Family Support Fund to assist individuals and families affected by the tragic shooting at the masjid campus.

“This fund will help provide direct assistance and recovery support for those affected during this extremely difficult time,” the organization said in a statement shared on its Facebook page.