The San Diego Police Department has confirmed that one of the teenagers involved in the deadly attack at the city’s largest mosque stole three firearms from his mother’s residence prior to the assault. The mass shooting resulted in three fatalities.
San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl revealed the information during a press conference on Monday, explaining that the 17-year-old suspect’s mother had initially alerted law enforcement after discovering that her son, a family vehicle, and several household firearms were missing.
Wahl noted that the realization that the teenager was heavily armed with three weapons immediately prompted investigators to classify him as a severe threat, significantly elevating the risk assessment and urgency during the initial search operations.
While police officials declined to confirm which specific suspect was responsible, they revealed that investigators recovered a suicide note left behind by one of the teenagers. The letter, discovered by the suspect’s mother, contained explicit statements regarding racial superiority.
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The ongoing investigation has also linked one of the attackers to Madison High School, located just one mile (1.6 kilometers) from the mosque. Authorities are currently securing judicial search warrants to thoroughly inspect the residences of the teenagers involved.
U.S. President Donald Trump condemned the mass shooting, labeling it a horrific event, and announced that a comprehensive briefing on the investigation will be conducted by FBI Director Kash Patel. Although the three deceased victims have been officially identified and their next of kin notified, police indicated that it will take several days to finalize the formal verification process before releasing their names to the public.
