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At least one person is dead after a shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday, a dramatic midday attack on one of the city's most prominent Muslim institutions that drew a massive law enforcement response, triggered school lockdowns, and rattled a densely populated residential neighborhood roughly nine miles north of downtown.
Officers began receiving calls just before noon local time about a shooter outside the mosque at 7050 Eckstrom Avenue, south of Balboa Avenue near Interstate 805. Within roughly 90 minutes, police declared the threat neutralized, though the full scope of casualties, including whether the confirmed fatality was a shooter, remained unclear.
The San Diego Police Department flooded the neighborhood with resources, with dozens of patrol cars and SWAT personnel visible outside the center. Police established a media staging area at the northwest corner of Lindbergh Park and directed families seeking to reunite with those inside to a location on Hathaway Street several blocks away. Residents in surrounding blocks were advised to shelter in place.
Northbound and southbound on-ramps to Interstate 805 at Balboa Avenue were closed due to the law enforcement operation, snarling traffic across the neighborhood. Several nearby schools were temporarily placed on lockdown, according to parents.
Video circulating on social media from local news outlets showed people leaving the building in small groups, some holding hands, escorted by uniformed officers.
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said he was actively monitoring developments. "I am aware of the active shooter situation at the Islamic Center of San Diego in Clairemont and am continuing to receive updates from law enforcement," he posted on X, adding that emergency personnel were "actively working to protect the community and secure the area."
California Governor Gavin Newsom was briefed on what his office called "an evolving situation" near the Islamic Center. The Governor's Office of Emergency Services coordinated with local authorities, and the governor's office urged the public to follow guidance from law enforcement.
Just after 1 p.m. local time, SDPD announced on X that "the threat at the Islamic Center has been neutralized." Police had not released any information on a suspect, a motive, or the precise number of casualties as of that posting. The Islamic Center of San Diego had not responded to requests for comment.
The Islamic Center of San Diego, located in the Clairemont Mesa neighborhood, is one of the oldest and largest Muslim community centers in California. Attacks on houses of worship, including mosques, have drawn increased federal attention in recent years as law enforcement agencies have worked to address threats targeting religious institutions across the country.
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