NO CHILDREN WERE KILLED OR PHYSICALLY INJURED. WELL, THE NEED FOR ARMED GUARDS AT PLACES OF WORSHIP HAS BEEN A BIG TOPIC OF CONVERSATION AND LEGISLATION IN RECENT YEARS. AND HERE IN SACRAMENTO, MEMBERS OF THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY SAY THEY’RE CONCERNED FOR THEIR OWN SAFETY. KCRA 3’S ANAHITA JAFARY IS LIVE IN SACRAMENTO WITH REACTION TO THIS DEVASTATING TRAGEDY AND SHOOTING TO. YEAH, IT IS VERY DEVASTATING. WE ARE CURRENTLY AT THE OLDEST MOSQUE IN THE WEST COAST. THIS IS THE MUSLIM MOSQUE ASSOCIATION, WHERE PEOPLE GATHER DAILY TO JOIN IN PRAYER. AND WE DID SPEAK WITH SOME PEOPLE WHO CAME HERE TODAY TO PRAY. THEY TELL US THAT THEIR CONCERN, AFTER HEARING ABOUT THAT DEADLY SHOOTING IN SAN DIEGO, ESPECIALLY AFTER POLICE SAY THEY’RE INVESTIGATING IT AS A HATE CRIME AT AN ISLAMIC CENTER, A SPACE KNOWN AS A PLACE OF WORSHIP, LIKE THIS ONE IN SACRAMENTO CENTERED AROUND THE MUSLIM FAITH. WE SPOKE WITH THE IMAM WHO LEADS THE DAILY PRAYERS IN THE MOSQUE. HE TELLS US THEY DO HAVE A CAMERA AND GATE AROUND THE BUILDING, AMONG OTHER SECURITY MEASURES, BUT ARE NOT PLANNING FOR ANYTHING MORE THAN THAT AT THIS MOMENT. SOME OF THE PEOPLE ATTENDING TODAY’S PRAYERS SAY THEY FEEL LIKE THERE’S A LOT OF HATE TOWARDS MUSLIMS AND WOULD FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE WITH ADDITIONAL SECURITY. IT’S MIND BOGGLING, LIKE HOW MUCH HATRED THAT WE HAVE TO ENDURE THROUGHOUT OUR LIVES. I’VE EXPERIENCED THAT THROUGH LIKE NINE, 11, ALL THAT STUFF. SO FOR ME, IT’S JUST LIKE EVERY DAY GOING INTO PLACES LIKE THIS, JUST SEEING LIKE THE HATRED THAT WE UNFORTUNATELY PEOPLE HAVE, YOU KNOW, SHOWN TOWARDS MUSLIM PEOPLE. WE JUST TRY TO LIVE OUR LIVES JUST AS, AS, AS JUST AS HUMAN. THE IMAM HERE TELLS US THAT THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY IS VERY CLOSE ONE, AND THAT HE WILL BE REACHING OUT TO THE IMAM AT THE ISLAMIC CENTER IN SAN DIEGO TO OFFER SUPPORT LIVE IN SACRAMENTO. I’M ANAHITA JAFARY KCRA THREE NEWS. DID YOU GET A CHANCE TO SPEAK WITH ANY OF THE OTHER MOSQUES IN OUR REGION? WE DID GO OVER TO A COUPLE OTHER ONES. WE SPOKE WITH ONE THAT TELLS US THAT THEY ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE TO CONTINUE TO ASK PEOPLE TO LOCK ALL THE DOORS. THEY ALSO HAVE CAMERAS AS WELL, AND THEY JUST WANT TO MAKE
Deadly shooting at San Diego Islamic center raises safety concerns in Sacramento
Authorities are investigating a deadly shooting at an Islamic center in San Diego as a possible hate crime after three men were killed, sparking fear and concern among Sacramento’s Muslim community.
Updated: 5:19 PM PDT May 19, 2026
Authorities are investigating a deadly shooting at an Islamic center in San Diego as a possible hate crime after three men were killed, sparking fear and concern among Sacramento’s Muslim community. “Doesn’t matter. Muslim or non-Muslim, killing and targeting. Killing is not acceptable,” said Mumtaz A. Qasmi, imam of the Muslim Mosque Association. Ali Shen, a member of the Muslim Mosque Association, emphasized the shared humanity of all people. “Everybody is like we are brothers, sisters, everybody, all of humanity, you know, so it’s not good for like to killing someone,” he said. Tariq Muhammad, who attends the mosque daily during his lunch break, expressed sadness over the attack. “It’s so sad and, you know, any place over here is Muslim or Jewish or Christian. Any place of worship attack is not acceptable in this society,” Muhammad said. Although no incidents have occurred locally, some members of the Sacramento Muslim community worry about becoming targets. Umair Javed, also of the Muslim Mosque Association, shared his concerns. “I’ve experienced that through like 9/11 and all that,” Javed said. “So. So for me, it’s just like every day going into places like this, it just seemed like the hatred that we unfortunately people have, you know, showing towards Muslim people.”Javed also expressed wanting more security installed beyond a gate and camera at the mosque. “Unfortunately, sometimes it’s for being portrayed as negative, and stuff like that. I feel like they should put it out there,” he said. “The security, the people, all that, the vigilance should be there. Patrolling should be done being monitored. Everything needs to be done.”Despite these concerns, Qasmi said there are no immediate plans to increase security at the mosque. “We have to get together and raise our voice,” he said. “We do not tolerate this kind of thing.”The imam also noted the close-knit nature of the Muslim community and plans to reach out to the imam at the Islamic center in San Diego to offer support.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Authorities are investigating a deadly shooting at an Islamic center in San Diego as a possible hate crime after three men were killed, sparking fear and concern among Sacramento’s Muslim community.
“Doesn’t matter. Muslim or non-Muslim, killing and targeting. Killing is not acceptable,” said Mumtaz A. Qasmi, imam of the Muslim Mosque Association.
Ali Shen, a member of the Muslim Mosque Association, emphasized the shared humanity of all people. “Everybody is like we are brothers, sisters, everybody, all of humanity, you know, so it’s not good for like to killing someone,” he said.
Tariq Muhammad, who attends the mosque daily during his lunch break, expressed sadness over the attack.
“It’s so sad and, you know, any place over here is Muslim or Jewish or Christian. Any place of worship attack is not acceptable in this society,” Muhammad said.
Although no incidents have occurred locally, some members of the Sacramento Muslim community worry about becoming targets. Umair Javed, also of the Muslim Mosque Association, shared his concerns.
“I’ve experienced that through like 9/11 and all that,” Javed said. “So. So for me, it’s just like every day going into places like this, it just seemed like the hatred that we unfortunately people have, you know, showing towards Muslim people.”
Javed also expressed wanting more security installed beyond a gate and camera at the mosque.
“Unfortunately, sometimes it’s for being portrayed as negative, and stuff like that. I feel like they should put it out there,” he said. “The security, the people, all that, the vigilance should be there. Patrolling should be done being monitored. Everything needs to be done.”
Despite these concerns, Qasmi said there are no immediate plans to increase security at the mosque.
“We have to get together and raise our voice,” he said. “We do not tolerate this kind of thing.”
The imam also noted the close-knit nature of the Muslim community and plans to reach out to the imam at the Islamic center in San Diego to offer support.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel