A ‘heroic’ security guard who was killed in a horrific attack has been praised for ‘saving lives’ as two teen gunmen shot at people at a mosque in San Diego.
The security guard was among three people who were killed in the incident at The Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday, May 18.
Two teen gunman, since identified as Cain Clark, 17, and Caleb Vazquez, 18, were found dead in a vehicle with self-inflicted wounds, authorities have said.
View 3 ImagesPolice believe the security guard played a pivotal role
Police believed that the guard “played a pivotal role” in keeping the attack from being “much worse”.
San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl added: “It’s fair to say his actions were heroic.”
“Undoubtedly, he saved lives today,” the police chief said.
The guard’s identity, or those of the other victims, has yet to be released.
The attack is being investigated as a hate crime.
Photos from the scene show a huge police presence outside the mosque and families running away from the area.
Mr Wahl said that officers had been talking to one of the teenagers’ mothers earlier in the day after she had contacted police around 9.40am local time to say her son was missing along with multiple weapons and her vehicle.
“She was beginning to develop a bigger picture as to what she was dealing with and was conveying that to our folks, and we were trying to put that together and get out in front of this as quickly as we could,” Mr Wahl said.
View 3 ImagesPolice labelled the guard as ‘heroic’
He added that the mum had also found a note that contained “hate rhetoric”.
The contents has not been disclosed but he said there was no specific threat against the Islamic Centre of San Diego.
The centre is the largest mosque in San Diego County and includes the Al Rashid School that offers courses in Arabic language, Islamic studies and the Quran for students ages five and up, according to its website.
After reports of an active shooter police responded within four minutes of being called, Mr Wahl said.
As they arrived, gunshots rang out a few blocks away where a landscaper was shot at but uninjured.
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The gunmen were found dead in a vehicle stopped in the middle of a road nearby.
The mosque’s director, Imam Taha Hassane called it “extremely outrageous to target a place of worship”.
“All the places of worship in our beautiful city should always be protected,” he said.