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Some in San Diego Islamic Center community feared attack for years

Claire Trageser

People flee the the Islamic Center in San Diego after multiple people were killed, including an armed security guard, on Monday. (Sandy Huffaker / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) — People flee the Islamic Center in San Diego Monday after three people including a mosque security guard were killed by two suspected gunmen. Photo: Sandy Huffaker / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Homayra Yusufi has gone to the Islamic Center of San Diego since she was a child and told Axios that the community has long been afraid something like Monday's fatal shooting would happen.

"The Islamic Center has gotten multiple threats of violence, and so this is all of our nightmares," she said.

The big picture: San Diego Police said they received reports of a shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego in Clairemont that killed three people at about 11:40am.

Officers were soon called to another nearby location to find the shooting suspects, ages 17 and 19, deceased in a vehicle from what is believed to be self-inflicted gunshot wounds, Police Chief Scott Wahl said Monday afternoon.

Zoom in: Yusufi said the deceased security guard, who had yet to be identified, had worked at the mosque for some time.

"Everyone in the community knows him," she said.
Wahl called the security guard's actions "heroic," and said he "undoubtedly saved lives today."
Yusufi said the mosque houses a K-3 school, and they all were put in lockdown before being escorted out safely.

It could have been much worse, she said.

It could have happened when hundreds gather for prayer, which occurs at 1pm on Monday.
"So we're relieved it didn't happen during prayer time," Yusufi said.

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Some in San Diego Islamic Center community feared attack for years

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