A coordinated shooting outside an Islamic place of worship in San Diego ended in tragedy Monday when two teenage suspects opened fire on worshippers before later being found dead inside a vehicle filled with weapons, extremist writings and symbols of hate, according to law enforcement sources.

Authorities said three people were killed in the attack outside the Islamic Center of San Diego shortly before noon, sending shockwaves through the local Muslim community and triggering a large-scale emergency response across the city.

The suspects, identified by officials as 17-year-old Cain Clark and 18-year-old Caleb Vazquez, were later discovered dead inside a parked vehicle from what investigators believe were self-inflicted gunshot wounds.

Inside the car, investigators reportedly found a gas canister marked with Nazi imagery, a shotgun, and multiple weapons bearing inscriptions linked to hate speech, according to a law enforcement source familiar with the investigation. Anti-Islamic writings were also recovered, suggesting a possible ideological motive behind the attack.

Officials said the shooting unfolded rapidly in front of the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday morning, with witnesses reporting that the attackers began firing at people gathered outside the building around 11:40 a.m.

Within minutes, emergency calls flooded police dispatch lines.

However, even before the shooting began, authorities had already been alerted to a developing situation involving one of the suspects. Police said the mother of one of the teenagers called officers earlier in the morning after discovering her son had left home with several firearms and her vehicle.

San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said the initial call came in around 9:42 a.m., when the mother reported her son missing and expressed concern that he may have been suicidal.

“She also found a note that her son left behind,” Wahl said during a press briefing. “That began to trigger a larger threat assessment picture.”

As investigators gathered more information, the threat level quickly escalated. The mother reportedly told police her son had left the home with a friend, and both were wearing camouflage clothing and carrying weapons taken from the residence.

Among the firearms reported missing were a 9mm handgun, a shotgun, and a Mini-14 rifle, according to dispatch communications shared among responding officers.

Police began actively searching for a stolen 2018 BMW X1 SUV believed to be carrying the suspects. Automated license plate readers helped narrow the vehicle’s location to the Clairemont area, prompting officers to deploy units across multiple potential targets, including a nearby shopping center and Madison High School, where one of the suspects was enrolled in a virtual program.

The urgency increased as the timeline tightened.

Less than two hours after the initial missing-person report, police received another call reporting an active shooter at the Islamic Center of San Diego.

When officers arrived within minutes, they discovered three victims had already been shot and killed outside the building. One of the victims was identified as security guard Amin Abdullah, a father of eight who was later praised for his actions during the attack.

Officials said Abdullah attempted to intervene during the shooting, likely preventing further loss of life.

His colleague, security guard Anees Faraj, who was not on duty at the time, described him as a devoted community member who acted without hesitation.

“He was the kind of person who always stepped forward when others were in danger,” Faraj said in a statement to local media.

Authorities said Abdullah’s intervention likely disrupted the attackers’ movements long enough for additional worshippers and children inside the complex to evacuate safely.

Inside the Islamic Center, chaos unfolded as families scrambled to escape. The attached Al Rashid school, which serves young children in kindergarten through third grade, was quickly placed under emergency evacuation protocols.

Police said dozens of officers entered the building to ensure no additional threats remained inside. Doors were forced open as officers moved classroom to classroom clearing students and staff.

Despite the intensity of the situation, officials confirmed that no children were physically harmed during the attack.

“The entire school is safe,” said Imam Taha Hassane in a social media update shortly after the incident. “All the kids, all the staff and teachers are safe out of the Islamic Center.”

While the shooters fled the scene after the initial attack, investigators say they continued firing sporadically as they left the area, including at a landscaper working nearby. That individual survived, though officials have not released details about his condition.

Helicopter footage later showed a large-scale police response surrounding the mosque and nearby streets, with armored vehicles, tactical teams and dozens of officers searching for any sign of the suspects.

Authorities confirmed that no additional shooters were involved and that there was no ongoing threat to the public after the suspects were found deceased.

San Diego County officials said the attack appears to have been premeditated, though investigators are still working to determine the full extent of planning and whether anyone else had knowledge of the suspects’ intentions.

The discovery of extremist writings and hate-symbol-laden materials inside the vehicle has raised concerns among investigators that the shooting may have been ideologically motivated. Law enforcement sources said writings recovered from the car included anti-Islamic messages and other disturbing content consistent with extremist rhetoric.

Federal agencies have since joined the investigation to assist local authorities in analyzing digital devices, writings, and weapon inscriptions recovered from the scene.

California Governor Gavin Newsom condemned the attack, calling it a “violent assault on a place of worship where families should feel safe.”

“Worshippers anywhere should not have to fear for their lives,” Newsom said in a statement. “Hate has no place in California.”

He also praised first responders for their rapid response and efforts to secure the scene and protect children during the unfolding crisis.

President Donald Trump also commented on the shooting, describing it as a “terrible situation” and saying he had been briefed on the incident.

Authorities say the investigation remains active as they continue reconstructing the timeline of events leading up to the attack, including the suspects’ movements in the hours before the shooting.

For now, the San Diego community is left grappling with the aftermath of a violent incident that unfolded in a place of worship, claiming lives, shaking families, and raising urgent questions about how two teenagers allegedly carried out a coordinated attack before turning the weapons on themselves.