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Amy Robach
This is an I Heart podcast. Guaranteed human. If audiobooks are your thing or you've been meaning to listen to more of them, you should check out a podcast called earsay, the Audible and I Heart Audiobook Club, hosted by Cal Penn.
T.J. Holmes
Each episode spotlights standout audiobooks on Audible across all kinds of genres sci fi, comedy, romance, thrillers and more, with Cal talking to guests who help break down what makes each story worth listening to.
Amy Robach
It's a fun, easy way to discover your next great, great audiobook.
T.J. Holmes
Check out Earsay on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts
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Amy Robach
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T.J. Holmes
Hey the folks. It is Tuesday, May 19, and the shooting itself. The incident was frightening enough, but this morning we're getting more and more, yes, frightening and disturbing details about the deadly mosque shooting in San Diego. And with that, welcome to this episode of Amy and T.J. three dead. The two suspects dead. The thing that's really, really amazing to think robes is that they were looking for these two guys. Police were for hours before the shooting ever started. That's one of the details we're getting. This story is just a head scratcher, right?
Amy Robach
That was a Fascinating part of this that the 17 year old suspect's mom called 911 on Monday morning at 9:42am they have the timestamp. The shooting took place place almost exactly two hours later. For those two hours police were trying to find her son who she described as suicidal, dressed in all camo. He had taken her vehicle and he had taken three guns from the home. And she told police I think something bad's about to happen.
T.J. Holmes
Fair to say this was a desperate frantic search around San Diego for hours and and I guess robes the community didn't even know the threat necessarily was out there. I don't know what police. Police did everything it sounds like they could to stop this before they didn't know what the guys were up to and they were trying to track them down. We'll get into that a little more but folks on this Tuesday morning we have confirmation. Yes, three people were killed at the largest mosque in San Diego yesterday when two young men, both teenagers opened fire at that mosque. So let's go through robes and, and how this kind of played out. The start with that 911 call. The mom alerted police, we got a problem and it was serious enough. Did she from your understanding was she saying he's suicidal or she thought he was actually up to something else?
Amy Robach
She thought it was both. He left behind a suicide note. So she said I have a suicide note. He's suicidal but he has a friend with him. And that was the puzzling thing. She called it a companion. So we now know it was an 18 year old who actually attended the high school that's about a mile from the mosque. And so when police were putting together who he was with that both of the teens were dressed in camo, they had access to at least three weapons and a vehicle and were suicidal. It seems strange if two people together aren't usually suicidal together. So she even said I think something bad's about to happen. So you know where police went first? The high school, the local high school, because the 18 year old attended there. The 17 year old was being schooled at home. He was doing a online high school course. So they actually tried to track the vehicle using the license plates and they're literally going across as you pointed out, San Diego trying to find this vehicle and trying to find these two teenagers.
T.J. Holmes
And then lo and behold, what time exactly? 11:42 was it?
Amy Robach
11:43. Police were notified of an active shooter at the Islamic center.
T.J. Holmes
So this Islamic center, again the largest in San Diego, but this is a place that has a school there for kids. It's a community center. They do prayers all day, five times a day. I do believe there that they're held. So this is a very active open. It's a community center sitting in right in the community of a very vibrant, if you will, community. It's a neighborhood. Well, I'm saying it's a. It's a. Quite frankly, it's a nice San Diego neighborhood. A typical. What you think of. You spend some time out there.
Amy Robach
Gorgeous.
T.J. Holmes
It's gorgeous out there. So gunfire rings out in robes. For a while during the coverage we kept seeing and police were kept. Kept saying, we have an active shooter. We believe it's contained or neutralized was the word they were using. But it seemed as if for a little while that the shooter was still somewhere on that campus. They were only saying one shooter. So ropes. All eyes were on what's going on in that building. And it turns out they weren't even in the building.
Amy Robach
Right. This was crazy. So that call came in at 11:43. It's pretty impressive. Police were there at the center by 11:47. So four minutes later they were there. And we now know pretty much immediately they found three victims right outside the mosque. But they don't know where the shooter or shooters are. So they actually had to go through room. Through room. They evacuated all those sweet little kids which we've seen the images of. You said that broke your heart today.
T.J. Holmes
I do not know why. I have mornings sometimes I'm a little more tired, a little more emotional. But whatever reason robes I. The image of those kids holding hands, like trying to be escorted to safety because of bullets because somebody hates Muslims. They're five. I mean that's something about it. We see it here in New York all the time with all the schools and whatnot. All the kids walking down the street together. They're attached, but it's just you stop every time you go, oh, they're so sweet, adorable, so cute. To see that being done. I don't know why that messed me up. Up to see that being done for kids who have to get away from bullets.
Amy Robach
Yeah.
T.J. Holmes
For whatever reason messed me up. See that images.
Amy Robach
You're crying right now again. But that is one of those heartbreaking moments because they're just so sweet and innocent and they're so. They're little sponges and they can be shaped into anything and anyone. And to think that this is one of probably going to be their earliest memory and dramatic one at that. And this is life changing to live through something like this. To experience Something like this, it's incredibly sad. And when we get into who these victims are, it's going to break your heart a little bit more. But we know that the officers were going from room to room. They were evacuating all those sweet little kids and their teachers and everyone who was there in the center. And then all of a sudden a landscaper is shot at from a vehicle. And this is pretty miraculous. He would have died police say they believe if he hadn't been wearing a helmet.
T.J. Holmes
So this is where the story at least as far as the investigation goes or the active I guess pursuit of suspects takes a turn because police are focused on the mosque. We're watching the live images on television online. You got police surrounding this place, full tactical gear looking for the suspect in the mosque. When they get a report a few blocks away there's another shooting, right.
Amy Robach
And so they're like what's happening? So then they, they head to that area just a short way distance away and they find the vehicle that they've been looking for for the last couple of hours with the two suspects inside with self inflicted gunshot wounds. And look, police have said that they have found hate speech crawled on a scrawled on one of the weapons. That suicide note was back at the 17 year old's home. And they say they found writings in containing racial pride. That's how they described it. They said they would give more details later but they were just letting reporters know and folks know that yes, they are investigating this as a hate crime because they have very specific reason to.
T.J. Holmes
They said, I mean the, I think the first press conference he suggested that this is going to be looked at as a hate crime until otherwise noted. Look, it's an Islamic center ropes. Sweet. Yes, we could talk about Islamophobia in this country. That's really, I guess we got more familiar with it after 911 and it continues with a lot of rhetoric. We see it has gotten worse. We'll get into that in just a moment. But robe it's why these two, why teenagers, why do this first? Why shoot at a landscaper and then drive a little way longer and kill yourselves? It's a bizarre. So that part I guess that was it Robes the story kind of really, really quickly turned into a what the hell. When we see what we're arguably robes accustomed to seeing an active shooter situation. We see that goes from a landscaper being shot at to a car abandoned in the middle of the road with two dead teenagers. What in the hell. Now the teenager part even adds to some mystery And I don't know if it happened to you too, Rose, but I, Klebold and Columbine, partners in these
Amy Robach
things came to mind, obviously to just go to the lengths that they went to, to do what they did. But then to have a, a co conspirator, to have someone do it with you and then have a pact to die by suicide at the end, it just seems so far fetched, it doesn't seem possible. And then to see whose lives they took. We're getting word from KTLA is doing some reporting there on the ground. And they've been there. Community and family members have let them know a little bit about some of the victims. Police have not given the official information, but we do know and a lot has been said about the security guard. We even heard police talk about the security guard saying he absolutely saved lives. He was heroic in his final act. And his name was Amin Abdullah, father of eight. Think about that. How many lives were changed in that split second. And he was there trying to protect this mosque and he gave his life doing so. And there were two other staff members who were also killed. One who worked in the center's food store and then a teacher. And KTL got, KTLA got this incredible story. This teacher actually was at home. He lived across the street. He heard gun, a gunfire ring out. He ran towards the school and he said it was, they said it was because his wife was working there and he got so afraid that she might be in trouble. So you hear, you hear about this brave husband who's running and rushing towards the gunfire because he knows his wife is inside and he was shot and killed.
T.J. Holmes
What was the. I don't think. I didn't read anywhere he had a military background or anything. Right. A police background we don't know much about. But I say that because he looks military.
Amy Robach
Right.
T.J. Holmes
Well, it was the first thing that came to mind. That's what police are supposed to be trained to do. You hear gunfire and you run towards it. The rest of us are trained to hear it and run away. But what is the exception?
Amy Robach
When someone you love is inside, boom, and in harm's way.
T.J. Holmes
That's it.
Amy Robach
So I just, that that moved me to think this. He was safe in his home. His wife actually was okay. And he ran towards the gunfire to protect her. Oh, that like gutted me when I
T.J. Holmes
read that this morning because it's two teenagers, what, mad at Muslims for what we say we got to do better, but man, we keep doing worse. Sometimes it feels these stories are just awful. Because of what?
Amy Robach
Because of what? Because of what I know. So when we come back, we're gonna talk a little bit about what we know of these suspects. Not gonna give their names because we really just don't want to give them any credit for what they did. So it's kind of a deliberate choice. A lot of news organizations do that and we've done that for some time as well. And then we will talk about it. You mentioned Muslim discrimination at an all time high. If you're always on the lookout for a great audiobook or just want help figuring out what to listen to next, there's a podcast you should know about.
T.J. Holmes
It's called earsay, the Audible and I Heart Audiobook Club. Hosted by Kal Penn.
Amy Robach
Each episode takes a closer look at some of the most talked about new audiobooks on Audible, spanning a wide range of genres from sci fi and liter literary fiction to rom coms, thrillers, and comedy.
T.J. Holmes
Kyle is joined by guests who dig into what these stories are about, what makes them stand out as audiobooks, and why they're connecting with listeners right now.
Amy Robach
If you're looking for your next listen, this is a great place to start.
T.J. Holmes
Listen to Earsay, the Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast.
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Amy Robach
Welcome back everyone to this episode of Amy and tj. We are talking about that horrific shooting at the largest mosque in San Diego, the Islamic center of San Diego. Three people were killed. A security guard, someone who worked in the food store there, and a teacher. And that loss of life is just gutting when you hear their stories. Who these men were, how they lived their lives. And then those images of those children rushed out of that center as two teenagers apparently motivated by hate went in to do as much damage as possible, shot a lance, shot at a landscaper on their way out and then killed themselves in the 17 year old mom's BMW.
T.J. Holmes
We say this oftentimes And I know it happens. You don't necessarily hear about it in mainstream news. You're not going to see it on broadcast network today. But when these stories happen, like why didn't you start with yourself?
Amy Robach
Oh my goodness.
T.J. Holmes
If the plan was.
Amy Robach
I have taught that every time to
T.J. Holmes
die by suicide start with you.
Blue Square Alliance Representative
Yes.
T.J. Holmes
And why you have to take out a husband, take out a father of eight. Why? Why?
Amy Robach
Ensuring your spot in hell. I don't know.
T.J. Holmes
Again, we don't want to make a big deal, but I just. You, you said it to me. We had a quick discussion. That 17 and 18 year old, I don't think officially have been identified by police, but their names are confirmed through, yes, several sources. Well, why, I mean, it's fine to know the name. We'll know that. You can find the names if you want to.
Amy Robach
But yeah, it is. You just don't. You know, it's. I think it started when you, when we initially covered Columbine all those years ago. And you said Dylan Klebold, you remember
T.J. Holmes
these names, still know his name.
Amy Robach
Yep. And, and they, they live on in infamy and they inspire copycats. They look up to these people disgustingly. And you, you almost place their names in history, which is part of perhaps why some of these folks go out the way they do because they want to be remembered and maybe even beloved by some for the, I guess the motivation of why they did what they did. So yeah, to give their names any weight is just for us, not something we want to do. But the 17 year old, I thought this was interesting. He, obviously he had some issues. He had been at the San Diego School of Creative and Performing arts. But in 2021 he was switched to online learning. He went to the I High Virtual Academy. So he was homeschooled basically, or at least he was doing it on online. But it's interesting. He Madison High School, which is where his cohort went, he actually was a star member of the wrestling team the year before, won first place. And folks who were there on the wrestling team with him said he was a good kid. He was always just trying to fit in and find friends. Never heard him say anything against Muslims. Zero warning signs.
T.J. Holmes
So. Okay, that's. Now that is another added bizarre element to this story. Robes. Oftentimes there is some kind of a warning sign. People say, yeah, he was this. Yeah, like it traces back and somebody didn't speak up when they heard something or saw this one. Good kids.
Amy Robach
Yes. Maybe, maybe it will, it will find out something that we don't know now, but he was on track to graduate this year. He had no disciplinary history, so his life was beginning. He was about to go out in the world. His grandparents spoke briefly to some reporters and yes, they said he was a good kid.
T.J. Holmes
Which one? This is a 17 year old.
Amy Robach
17 year old. They said he was a good kid. They said he was. They were in shock. And they added, we're very sorry for what happened. I mean, look, his family was there in San Diego. His mother called 911 concerned about her son. His grandparents lived nearby. It doesn't make any sense. And the 18 year old, we don't know a lot about him, only that he was a student at Madison High School. So he was 18. I'm assuming he was a senior again about to start his life. It just doesn't make any sense. But they had apparently scrawled, we don't know what the words were exactly, some rhetoric on some of the weapons. There was some racial pride writings in
T.J. Holmes
the vehicle and that's the term they're using. Racial pride.
Amy Robach
Racial pride.
T.J. Holmes
Okay. You can go to whatever conclusion you want on what that might suggest.
Amy Robach
There's a picture of a gas can outside of the vehicle that had basically SS like Hitler it. So yes, there seems to be some very disturbing writing and imagery that was left behind that police will piece together and I'm sure we'll get more details on that. But speaking to the Muslim discrimination babe, you know what? This makes sense. Discrimination reports surged since the Gaza war in 2023.
T.J. Holmes
Wow.
Amy Robach
Makes sense. The American Islamic Relations Group, they study and they have been tracing anti Muslim discrimination since 1996. Last year, by far record setting year for discrimination complaints, there were more than 8,600 discrimination complaints. And that apparently was significantly higher than any other year. But it's just been getting worse. And this certainly won't help.
T.J. Holmes
17 and 18, what happens? I just. I just wonder what happens. Robes. And we always look for answers after these things. And what do we do? I haven't seen the debates and the back and forth and the conversation that's being had around this, but you can already guess what it's like. You can already guess what they're saying and what people are saying. There's nothing else to be said other than this is awful, it's tragic. Stop attacking people based on their religion. Okay? That should be the end of the story.
Amy Robach
Lumping all people, like making innocent people pay for some hatred you have towards. I don't know. But certainly not the people you killed. Certainly not the people you killed. There are so many tributes to this security guard already online, people talking about him. I oh, my goodness. I was watching video of him like smiling and fist bumping people when they walked into the center. He was just joyful. You could he stood outside underneath this tent and he was, he looked like a badass. He had a vest. He looked military to me and was just, you could see the warmth on his face. You could see the kindness in his face. And it just breaks your heart to think that he had to pay with
T.J. Holmes
his life over what, because somebody's mad at Muslims? Well, this today, this investigation really is just getting going. We certainly are expecting some updates today from authorities. But for now, two teenagers suicide. Two teenagers dead by suicide after first killing three people at the largest Muslim center in San Diego, the largest mosque there, and just another one rogues. We didn't even put together the numbers on shootings and mass shootings things for this year.
Amy Robach
It's depressing as hell.
Bowen Yang
It is.
T.J. Holmes
But folks, just wanted to give you this morning update. A lot of developments and new information came in overnight, but we appreciate you as always spending some time with us. We are just getting started on this day and on this news feed. There is a lot of news this morning, so we always appreciate you spending some time with us. On behalf of my dear Amy Robach, I'm T.J. holmes. We'll talk to y' all soon.
Amy Robach
If audiobooks are your thing or you've been meaning to listen to more of them, you should check out a podcast called earsay, the Audible and I Heart Audiobook Club, hosted by Cal Penn.
T.J. Holmes
Each episode spotlights standout audiobooks on Audible across all kinds of genres. Sci fi, comedy, romance, thrillers and more. With Cal talking to guests who help break down what makes each story worth listening to.
Amy Robach
It's a fun, easy way to discover your next great audiobook.
T.J. Holmes
Check out Earsay on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts hot.
Blue Square Alliance Representative
Take. You can disagree with someone and not hate them. I know really groundbreaking stuff, but lately that line seems blurry. Hate is rising across communities in all kinds of ways, and Jewish communities are getting a lot of it right now. You don't have to agree with people. You just have to not be awful. The blue square is a simple way to say I'm with you. And I don't tolerate hate of any kind. Go to bluesquarealliance.org, get a pin, share it and stand up.
Bowen Yang
This is Bowen Yang from Lost Culture Resource with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang we all know the feeling when life gets really busy. Taking care of yourself can feel impossible. That's why Premier Protein shakes are my go to. They have 30 grams of prote, 160 calories, no added sugar, and they taste amazing. So they're a healthy choice you'll actually want to make. It's not just for fitness, it's for getting after life. The 30 grams of protein gives you the fuel you need. It's not just for intense gym sessions, it's just for life. With the wide variety of flavors from cafe latte to cake batter, it never feels boring. It's a flavor for everyone. I personally love the peaches and cream, but maybe you're a root beer floater cinnamon roll kind of person. Premier Protein powers me to say y yes to more Find your favorite flavor@premierprotein.com that's P R E M I E R protein.com or at Amazon, Walmart and other major retailers.
Amy Robach
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Podcast Summary: Amy Robach & T.J. Holmes Present
Episode: Deadly Mosque Shooting: Hate Speech, Racial Pride and a Suicide Note
Release Date: May 19, 2026
Host: iHeartPodcasts
This episode dives into the tragic and shocking mass shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego—the city’s largest mosque—in which three people were killed by two teenage gunmen, who then died by suicide. Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes discuss the chilling timeline, the background on the suspects and victims, and broader issues of hate crimes, Islamophobia, and rising discrimination in the U.S. The hosts process the emotional impact, lingering questions, and societal context in a candid, somber conversation.
T.J. Holmes (06:33):
“The image of those kids holding hands, like trying to be escorted to safety because of bullets because somebody hates Muslims. They're five... messed me up.”
Amy Robach (18:41):
“You almost place their names in history, which is part of perhaps why some of these folks go out the way they do because they want to be remembered and maybe even beloved by some for the…motivation of why they did what they did. So yeah, to give their names any weight is just for us, not something we want to do.”
Amy Robach (10:22):
“His name was Amin Abdullah, father of eight... And he was there trying to protect this mosque and he gave his life doing so.”
Amy Robach (21:45):
“Last year, by far record setting year for discrimination complaints... more than 8,600 discrimination complaints. And that apparently was significantly higher than any other year. But it's just been getting worse. And this certainly won't help.”
Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes deliver a deeply human, affecting summary of a devastating hate crime, balancing details of the tragedy with pointed reflections on discrimination, community trauma, and the dangers of infamy for perpetrators. The discussion highlights the emotional toll, unanswered questions, and societal challenges that arise in the wake of such violence. The episode serves as both a news update and a call to empathy, vigilance, and action against hate in all its forms.