Following Deadly Shooting US Bishops' President Expresses Sorrow and Prayerful Solidarity With Muslim Community

According to BBC, a deadly shooting occurred close to noon on Monday, May 19, 2026, after the mother of one of the two alleged attackers called police to report that her son had run away with a friend and might be suicidal.

Hours later, as police were searching for the two teenagers, authorities found three victims with gunshot wounds outside the Islamic Center of San Diego, California, U.S.A.

Shortly afterwards, police found the two suspects - aged 17 and 18 - dead of self-inflicted wounds in a vehicle blocks away from the mosque. The security guard and two others - whom Cair-SD named as Mansour Kaziha and Nader Awad - were killed by two yet-to-be-identified teenage attackers who then took their own lives, say police.

The shooting is being investigated as a hate crime, since "hate rhetoric" was involved. The bravery of a security guard who was shot dead along with two other worshippers at a San Diego mosque on Monday prevented the attack from being much worse, say police.

The guard was Amin Abdullah, a father of eight, a spokeswoman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations-San Diego (Cair-SD), Tazheen Nizam, told the BBC.

USCCB Release - Archbishop Coakley Expresses Sorrow and Prayerful Solidarity With Muslim Community Following San Diego Islamic Center Shooting

Following the shooting at the San Diego Islamic Center yesterday, Archbishop Coakley, president of the USCCB expressed sorrow at the senseless violence and assured the Muslim community of prayerful solidarity.

May 19, 2026

WASHINGTON – Following the shooting at the San Diego Islamic Center yesterday, Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops expressed sorrow at the senseless violence and assured the Muslim community of prayerful solidarity.

Archbishop Coakley’s full statement follows:

“On behalf of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, I extend our profound sorrow and prayerful solidarity following the tragic shooting at the San Diego Islamic Center. We stand with Chief Imam Taha Hassane, the entire Muslim community, and all who mourn in the wake of this senseless violence, affirming our shared commitment to the dignity of every human life and the rejection of hatred in all its forms.

“In moments such as these, we are reminded of the call to be instruments of peace; as Pope Leo XIV has said, ‘Where violence wounds the human family, compassion and unity must be our steadfast reply.’ May God console the grieving, strengthen the injured, and guide us all toward greater understanding, justice, and peace.”

###USCCB Release

and BBC - with Image from Facebook Newport Beach Patch