Shooting at San Diego Synagogue Leaves 1 Dead, 3 Injured

One person died and three others were injured in an shooting on a synagogue in Poway, Calif.

• By Sydny Shepard
• Apr 29, 2019

One person has died and three others wounded after shots were fired inside a California synagogue filled with people celebrating the last day of Passover. A suspect was taken into custody two miles away from the synagogue while three patients were transferred to the hospital, one of them a rabbi. 

On Saturday morning, a man with an assault-style rifle entered Chabad of Poway, just 22 miles from San Diego, and opened fire on the people inside, according to law enforcement officials.

The suspect has since been identified as a 19-year-old with no criminal history and no apparent connection with any extremist groups, according to San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore.

As the suspect fled the scene, an off-duty U.S. Border Patrol agent who was in the synagogue at the time of the shooting opened fire on the suspect, missing the man and striking a vehicle. A San Diego police officer was en route to the scene when he saw the suspect's vehicle. 

The suspect pulled over, jumped out of the car with his hands up an was taken into custody.

Authorities believe the shooting might have lasted longer, as there are indications that the gun may have malfunctioned after some rounds were fired, though it was still being investigated.

Police have since learned that he acted alone in the incident and are gathering evidence to understand the motive behind the shooting.

A 60-year-old woman died from the gun shot wounds she suffered. An eight-year-old girl and two adult men, including a rabbi, were injured and rushed to nearby hospitals. Their injures were not life-threatening.