FRANCE PERSPECTIVE

Paris, May 18, 2026. Three men were killed on Monday during an attack on the Islamic center of San Diego, in California, according to initial information reported by Le Monde and France Info. Among the victims was a mosque security agent, whose role was highlighted by Police Chief Scott Wahl: 'I think he played a crucial role in preventing the situation from being much worse.'

The two individuals suspected of being the shooters, aged 17 and 19, were found dead in a vehicle stopped nearby the place of worship. 'At this stage, the suspects appear to have died from gunshot wounds they inflicted on themselves,' Police Chief Scott Wahl said at a press conference. The total toll stands at five dead, including the two young suspects.

The Islamic center of San Diego, which houses both a mosque and a school, was surrounded by dozens of police vehicles and heavily armed law enforcement. Imam Taha Hassane quickly communicated to reassure: 'All children, staff members, and teachers are safe outside the Islamic center.' However, he strongly denounced: 'Targeting a place of worship is absolutely scandalous.'

The San Diego police are treating the case as a 'hate crime' and have called on the FBI to assist in the investigation. San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria confirmed the shootings. In Washington, President Donald Trump, questioned at the White House, described the event as 'a terrible situation,' adding that he would 'take a closer look at the situation.'

French media highlight that this attack occurred in a border town with Mexico, in a state that regularly faces political and identity tensions in the United States. If confirmed by the investigation, the classification as a hate crime would place this act in the line of a series of attacks targeting places of worship in the United States in recent years, recalling the shooting at a synagogue in Pittsburgh in 2018.