Members of the local Muslim community in Boston and across Massachusetts are reacting with grief following a shooting that killed three people at a mosque in San Diego on Monday.
Investigators say two teenage gunmen killed three people at Islamic Center of San Diego. The alleged suspects were later found dead from what are believed to be self-inflicted gunshots. The incident is being investigated as a hate crime.
Imam Abdulqadir Farah at the Islamic Society of Boston called the shooting a tragedy and offered condolences to the families of the victims.
“What I would say today is that everyone, and I mean everyone, must condemn these kinds of heinous acts that happen in mosques and synagogues and in places of worship,” Farah said.
Fatema Ahmad is the executive director at Muslim Justice League and said that it was another day filled with frustration for Muslims.
“Almost every day, at this point, is a heavy day for our community between what this country that we live in has supported and funded happening in Palestine to the bombing in Iran to this,” she said. “It’s just day after day, it’s really hard.”
Tahirah Amatul-Wadud is the executive director of Massachusetts chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. She said that they’ve seen a significant increase in hate crimes against Muslims in recent years.
To her, the shooting is a reminder that the statistics they’re seeing come from real people.
“And that the consequences can be grave,” she said. “It’s a reminder for every one of us — as neighbors, as citizens, as elected leaders — to do what is within the scope of our ability to protect one another and to protect the Muslim community.”
Farah said that everyone is aware that something could go bad at any given moment. But he stressed the strength of the community.
“This is not going to drive us out from our mosque,” he said. “We will definitely go through this and we are going to worship.”
