But as authorities piece together the timeline behind the massacre, chilling new details are emerging — including warnings from a mother who allegedly realized something was wrong hours before the bloodshed began.

Police say the attack unfolded shortly before midday prayers on May 18, sending terrified families, children, and worshippers scrambling for cover as gunfire erupted outside the mosque complex. The Islamic Center, located in the heart of San Diego County, also houses classrooms and religious programs for young children, making the attack even more devastating for the local Muslim community.

Authorities later confirmed that three men were killed, including a mosque security guard praised by officials for acting heroically during the chaos. San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said the guard’s actions likely prevented the massacre from becoming far worse.

“It’s fair to say his actions were heroic,” Wahl told reporters.

The two suspects — believed to be 17 and 18 years old — were later found dead inside a vehicle a few blocks away from the mosque, both suffering from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Investigators reportedly discovered anti-Islamic writings inside the vehicle, along with disturbing hate rhetoric scrawled across at least one of the firearms used during the attack.

Police are now officially investigating the shooting as a hate crime.

And according to investigators, there were warning signs.

Hours before the attack, one suspect’s mother reportedly contacted police in panic after realizing her son was missing along with several household firearms and her vehicle. Authorities said she feared he was suicidal — but the situation quickly escalated after officers learned the teen had left with another individual while dressed in camouflage gear.

Law enforcement immediately began searching for the pair using license-plate tracking systems and emergency alerts.

Then the shooting started.

Witnesses described scenes of panic as worshippers fled the mosque grounds while children from the Islamic school were rushed to safety under armed police protection. A landscaper nearby was also reportedly shot at during the chaos but survived.

Investigators have not publicly revealed the full contents of the messages recovered from the suspects, but officials confirmed the writings included what police described as “generalized hate rhetoric.”

That phrase alone has ignited outrage online.

Across social media and Reddit discussions, users pointed to rising anti-Muslim rhetoric and extremist content circulating online in recent years, with many arguing the attack reflected a broader climate of escalating hate. Some commenters criticized authorities for not using stronger language such as “domestic terrorism” earlier in the investigation.

Meanwhile, Muslim organizations and civil-rights groups across the country are calling for increased security around places of worship.

The Islamic Center of San Diego released a statement expressing grief and shock while urging the public not to spread rumors as families mourned the victims. Community leaders described the mosque as a place focused heavily on interfaith outreach and education — noting that non-Muslim visitors had toured the center only hours before the shooting occurred.

President Donald Trump, California Governor Gavin Newsom, and local officials all condemned the attack, while law enforcement agencies in several major cities reportedly increased patrols near mosques as a precaution.

But behind the growing investigation, one disturbing question continues haunting both police and the community:

What exactly pushed two teenagers toward such a violent act?

Because according to investigators, the attack may not have been impulsive at all.

And officials are now quietly examining whether the hate-filled writings discovered after the shooting reveal a far darker level of planning — one that could expose how long the suspects had been preparing for violence before the first shot was ever fired.