San Diego Islamic Center Reopens After Precautionary Lockdown; Police Say Woman Referred for Mental Health Evaluation, Not Arrested

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — October 29, 2026. The Islamic Center of San Diego was able to resume services after a precautionary police response on October 27, and San Diego Police subsequently reported that a woman involved in the incident was taken for a mental health evaluation on October 28. Police explicitly said she was not under arrest and was not facing charges from SDPD at the time of the second announcement.

What happened on October 27?

According to an October 27 San Diego Police Department statement, officers were informed at approximately 1:50 p.m. about an individual who had reportedly been driving erratically and had evaded police in Carlsbad before heading toward San Diego. At about 2:30 p.m., SDPD received information that the person may have been experiencing a mental health crisis and had mentioned the Islamic Center of San Diego in the 7000 block of Eckstrom Street.

Because officers had information that the person might have a firearm, police coordinated a temporary lockdown at the Center and took precautionary steps at nearby schools and other mosques. The department later determined that the woman had visited the Center, spoken with a security guard and left before officers arrived.

By 4 p.m. on October 27, police said the woman was believed to be outside San Diego County, the Center’s lockdown had been lifted and the Islamic Center had reopened for evening prayer. SDPD said at that time it was not aware of an ongoing threat to the Islamic Center or other San Diego mosques.

October 28: police and clinicians respond

In a separate October 28 release, SDPD reported that the woman had returned to the Center after overnight contact with its staff. The Center had invited her to return so she could receive help, and police had continued communicating with Center representatives about safety.

Officers from SDPD’s Northern Division responded alongside Psychiatric Emergency Response Team (PERT) clinicians. The department stated that the woman was detained for a mental health evaluation, not arrested or charged by SDPD. Being evaluated is not evidence of a criminal conviction, and the police announcements do not establish that she possessed a gun.

What residents should take from the updates

The police statements describe a precautionary response to an uncertain situation, followed by a behavioral-health intervention. Residents should distinguish the initial possibility that someone was armed from a confirmed weapon finding, and a mental-health evaluation from a criminal arrest.

California58 is publishing the two dated police releases together on a single URL to avoid duplicating coverage of one incident. Any new official findings would warrant a documented correction or update, not speculation.

Sources: SDPD October 27 release (PDF) and SDPD October 28 update (PDF). More San Diego local news.

YOUR LOCAL NEWSPAPER NEEDS YOU

Help this community newspaper grow

Your support helps build coverage for the people and places this local newspaper serves.

Donate once by card ↗

Help San Diego News grow Help strengthen reporting on San Diego: community voices, important decisions and local life.

Support San Diego News

Choose how to support San Diego News:

Credit / Debit Card via Stripe

Choose an amount from $1. One-time support through the publisher's LINKERNO Stripe account.

Continue with PayPal Continue with Zelle

Zelle payments go to Vitaly Ataev Troshin. Please verify the recipient in your bank before sending. Availability depends on your bank.

Optional reader support. When possible, add “San Diego News” to the payment note. Contributions are not advertised as tax-deductible. Support does not influence editorial decisions.

Optional support through the publisher. Contributions are not advertised as tax-deductible and never buy editorial influence.

San Diego News — Your Community Newspaper

Have a correction, news tip, local announcement, or story to submit? Contact our editorial team. All submissions are reviewed before publication.