Video shows man with child dive for cover amid Islamic Center shooting

As gunshots erupted through San Diego’s Clairemont neighborhood, about 10 miles north of the city’s downtown area, a man walking his child in a stroller dove for cover in harrowing security footage which also captured the sound of the shots.

José Rodriguez was out on a walk with his son when gunshots echoed through the neighborhood after two teenage suspects opened fire at the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday, May 18, sending him running towards his yard for cover and tipping the stroller in the process. He quickly manages to get the stroller back up and darts off-screen. A white SUV, believed to be the one the suspects were driving, can be seen swerving by. About eight shots are heard in the video.

Rodriguez told USA TODAY he was able to maintain eyesight of the vehicle until it stopped a short distance down and called 911 to help authorities identify where the suspects and vehicle was.

Rodriguez and his son were not injured during the incident.

Watch the video at the top of this story. Viewer discretion is advised.

Three killed in shooting

The San Diego Police Department, at around 11:43 a.m. local time on May 18, received reports of an active shooter at the Islamic Center of San Diego, the largest mosque in San Diego County, according to its website. Minutes later, responding officers discovered three men dead, including a security guard, outside the mosque.

During a news conference, San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said the security officer likely helped prevent further bloodshed.

The two suspects, ages 17 and 18, meanwhile were later found dead in a vehicle nearby. They died from what appeared to be self-inflicted gunshot wounds, police said.

‘Hate rhetoric’ involved

San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl, during a news conference, said the shooting is being investigated as a hate crime.

“At this point, there was definitely hate rhetoric that was involved,” he said at the late afternoon news conference. “I’ll leave it at that for now.”

Wahl later noted that there had been no specific threat made against the Islamic Center of San Diego or any other facilities. He added that police were aware of “generalized hate rhetoric” in the case and that the mother of one of the suspects found a note he left behind but declined to provide additional details.

The Islamic center has about 5,000 members in its congregation, according to CBS 8 San Diego. The center houses the Bright Horizon Academy, a school providing Islamic education, Reuters reported.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@usatodayco.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.