Two teenage gunmen shot and killed three men outside a mosque in San Diego, California, before taking their own lives, police have said.
The attack took place on Monday morning outside the Islamic Center of San Diego. Officers responding to reports at 11:43 local time found three adult victims with gunshot wounds outside the building.
The suspects have been identified as Cain Clark, 17, and Caleb Vazquez, 18. Both were later found dead in a vehicle a few blocks away from the mosque, having sustained self-inflicted gunshot wounds.
Police said the pair had been the subject of an earlier report after the mother of one of the suspects contacted authorities to say her son had left home with firearms and a vehicle. Officers were searching for the pair at the time of the shooting.
Following the initial attack, police received reports of a second shooting nearby in which shots were fired from a vehicle at a landscaper. The individual was not injured.
Investigators said the attack is being treated as a suspected hate crime. The FBI is assisting in the investigation after anti-Islamic writings and hate-related material were recovered from the suspects’ vehicle.
Among those killed was a security guard at the mosque, who officials said played a role in preventing further casualties during the attack.
Children were present on the mosque campus, which includes the Al Rashid School, at the time of the shooting. Footage showed children being escorted to safety as officers carried out searches of the premises. Nearby schools were placed on lockdown.
Police said a note left by one of the suspects contained generalised hate rhetoric, but did not identify a specific target.
The Islamic Center of San Diego said the attack took place days before Eid al-Adha, one of the most significant dates in the Islamic calendar.
Authorities have not yet released the names of the victims.