The individuals responsible for the tragic events at a San Diego mosque, where three lives were lost, had connected online and harbored a general animosity towards various religions and races, as per U.S. authorities’ statements on Tuesday.
FBI’s Mark Remily revealed that writings linked to the suspects have been discovered, although specific details about their expressed ideologies remain undisclosed.
During the investigation, authorities uncovered thirty firearms and a crossbow from two residences that were searched in relation to the case.
Remily mentioned that efforts are ongoing to determine if the assailants had broader intentions beyond the immediate incident.
In the lead-up to the tragic incident on Monday, law enforcement was actively searching for the two teenagers who were ultimately identified as the perpetrators.
San Diego police Chief Scott Wahl reported that one of the teen’s mothers had notified authorities about her son’s suicidal tendencies and the disappearance of weapons and her vehicle from their residence.
Shortly after the concerned mother’s call, the violent incident unfolded at the Islamic Center of San Diego, which also accommodates a school.
The two suspects, aged 17 and 18, were later found deceased in a nearby vehicle, having taken their own lives.
This tragedy is part of a series of assaults on places of worship and occurs amidst escalating threats and hate crimes targeting Muslim and Jewish communities following the onset of conflicts in the Middle East.
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Authorities conducted searches at the suspects’ residences to piece together the motives behind the attack.
While there was no specific threat targeting the Islamic center, the largest mosque in San Diego, investigators found evidence of the suspects engaging in “generalized hate rhetoric,” stated Chief Wahl.
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