Emotion and fear shake California’s Muslim community. This weekend, an armed attack targeted the Islamic Center of San Diego in the suburbs of Los Angeles. The provisional report shows three deaths and several serious injuries. Local authorities and the FBI immediately opened a hate crime and terrorism investigation. Here are the first elements to know to understand this matter.
Shootings in full prayer in California
The attack happened on Saturday evening, during the last prayer of the day. Two young teenagers aged 17 and 19 entered the mosque with firearms and military uniforms.
They opened fire on the crowd without saying anything. The shooting lasted a few minutes and caused enormous panic. Two people lost their lives immediately in the prayer room. A third person died of their injuries a short time later in hospital. Rescuers also transported four injured people, and two of them are still fighting to stay alive.
The shooters kill themselves before the police arrive
The drama ended even before the intervention of the police. The two teenagers were from the region. After shooting at the worshipers, the two teenagers turned their weapons on them.
When the police entered the mosque, they found the lifeless bodies of the two shooters. The police were therefore unable to arrest the culprits on the spot. The FBI and investigators are now searching their phones and computers to understand how these two young people planned this attack and what pushed them to act. The first elements show that they were guided by racism and hatred of Muslims thanks to a letter found on one of them.
Security increases around places of worship
The governor of California quickly reacted to condemn this attack. He recalled that everyone has the right to practice their religion in safety and without fear. The American president also sent a message of support to the families of the victims.
After this tragedy, the country’s Muslim community is demanding more protection. In response, the police decided to do many more rounds around mosques and cultural centers in California to reassure everyone.
The day after the shooting, hundreds of neighbors of all religions came to the mosque to pray. They left flowers, candles and messages of support to show their solidarity in the face of horror.
Mosque officials opened a reception to help and support families who experienced this terrible scene. While the investigation continues to find out if the two young people received outside help, the residents of the town try to stay together. Donald Trump spoke of a “terrible situation” after this attack.
