What we know about 'hateful rhetoric,' suspects in San Diego shooting

Authorities are searching for answers after two suspects opened fire on a San Diego mosque, killing three men and then themselves on May 18.

The shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego in the Clairemont neighborhood unfolded at about 11:43 a.m. PT, police said. Authorities have not identified the victims, but said one was the center's security guard whose actions prevented it from being much worse.

A hate crime investigation is underway on May 19. San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said at a news conference on May 18 that the shooting would be investigated as a hate crime "until it's not," and said "there was definitely hate rhetoric that was involved," but not a specific threat to the mosque.

"We will leave no stone unturned," said Mark Remily, special agent in charge of the FBI's San Diego field office.

Here's what we know about the shooting and investigation:

What happened at the San Diego mosque shooting?

Shortly before noon on May 18, police received a call for an active shooter at the San Diego Islamic Center, which also houses a school. They got another call about a landscaper being shot at a couple blocks away. Officers arrived on the scene minutes after the first call, and found three men dead outside the mosque, the San Diego Police Department said.

The officers entered the mosque in search of suspects.

A few minutes later, officers were called to another location nearby, where a vehicle was sitting in the middle of the street, police said.

Two suspected shooters were found inside the vehicle, dead from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds.

Who are the victims?

Authorities have not identified the three victims as of early May 19, but said they had notified family members.

The three victims were all men, Wahl said. One was identified as a security guard, and credited for stopping a worse incident from occurring.

"We do believe the security guard was able to help at least minimize the situation to the front area of the mosque," Wahl said. "I don't want to speculate, but at this point I think it's fair to say his actions were heroic, and undoubtedly he saved lives today."

The Islamic Center said in a statement that the three men were "pillars of our community."

"Our beloved security guard, who gave his life protecting the children and community members of our masjid," the center said. "Another pillar, the foundation of our masjid, whose dedication, service, and love helped build and strengthen this community from the very beginning. ... Our valiant brother, whose kindness, sincerity, and unwavering spirit touched everyone around him."

"Their absence leaves a void that can never truly be filled. They were more than community members, they were family."

What we know about the suspects, motive

The shooting suspects were 17 and 18 years old, police said without releasing their identities.

About two hours before the shooting was reported to police, the mother of one of the suspects called police to report that three of her weapons, her car and her son were gone. She believed her son was suicidal, police said. She also said her son was with a companion and that they were dressed in camouflage, Wahl said. The information given by the mother led police to believe something serious could be unfolding, Wahl said.

"The information that she was gathering and conveying to us began to elevate the threat level that we were perceiving," Wahl said.

Wahl said the suspect's mother also found a note, but didn't reveal its contents.

Police used automated license plate recognition to try to track down the missing vehicle, and responded to a mall as a possible threat location near where the vehicle had been spotted. They also dispatched to the area of the school one of the teens was associated with, though it was later learned he attended a virtual online program.

Reports of the shooting came in while police were still working to locate the suspects, police said.

Contributing: Amanda Lee Myers, James Powel, Will Carless, Michael Loria and Thao Nguyen