What We Know Right Now

The San Diego Police Department confirmed officers responded to a reported active shooter at the Islamic Center of San Diego, located at 7050 Eckstrom Avenue in the Clairemont neighborhood, on Monday, May 18, 2026.

Three police sources told NBC that two shooters were shot dead at the scene. Helicopter footage aired by NBC shows at least one person in a tactical vest down on the ground outside the center.

Several people are believed to have been shot, according to SDPD Officer Anthony Carrasco, who spoke to the Associated Press.

The Confirmed Death

The New York Times reported that the mosque's own leader said a security guard was killed in the attack. That is the only confirmed fatality from a named source at this point.

San Diego Police have NOT officially confirmed the death count. They described the scene as "active" but "contained," with "significant resources on scene."

Scale of the Response

Hundreds of officers and scores of emergency vehicles arrived within minutes of the first call, according to the New York Post.

SWAT teams deployed. Aerial units were overhead. Officers went door to door through the surrounding neighborhood searching for any additional threats, per San Diego ABC affiliate KGTV.

Schools and Civilians Evacuated

The Islamic Center's campus includes the Al Rashid School. Police evacuated children from that school — aerial footage shows officers leading lines of kids away from the building.

Three additional schools sit in close proximity to the mosque: the Islamic School of San Diego, Clairemont Canyons Academy, and Kavod Charter School. A Seventh Day Adventist church and a California Children Services facility are also nearby. All were affected by the response.

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria posted to X: "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. Emergency personnel are on scene and actively working to protect the community and secure the area."

A reunification location was established by SDPD for families. The department urged the public to avoid the area.

What Remains Unknown

No motive has been established. No outlet has determined why this happened.

Key unanswered questions:

• Who the shooters were
• What their motive was
• Whether this was a hate crime, terrorism, or something else
• The exact number of victims
• Whether additional suspects are at large

The Islamic Center of San Diego is the largest mosque in San Diego County. The building has operated in the community for decades.

What Happened

At least one person is dead. Two shooters appear to be neutralized. Children were evacuated from a mass shooting scene. Hundreds of law enforcement officers responded to what appears to have been a coordinated attack on a house of worship.

A security guard was killed. Investigators are working to determine the circumstances and motive behind the attack. Officials will release additional details as the investigation proceeds.