POWAY, Calif. (KGTV) -- San Diego County Sheriff's deputies are investigating a shooting at a synagogue that left one person dead in Poway on Saturday afternoon.
Poway Mayor Steve Vaus confirmed one person was killed in the shooting. The deceased is described as an adult female, no further information was provided at this time.
The incident was reported at the Congregation Chabad located at 16934 Chabad Way sometime before 11:30 a.m., the San Diego County Sheriff's Office twitter account reported.
A suspect, described only as a 19-year-old male from San Diego, has been detained for questioning, according to Sheriff Bill Gore.
One witness told 10News that he heard three shots then dropped to the floor for cover. He said he heard a total of 15 shots and that the shooting lasted between 20-30 seconds.
Gore said the gunman used an AR-type assault weapon.
An off duty Border Patrol agent was inside the synagogue during the shooting. The agent followed the suspect when he tried to flee the scene and opened fired hitting the gunman's vehicle.
It's unknown how many people were inside the synagogue at the time of the shooting.
At least three others were wounded in the shooting, one juvenile female and two adult males. All were transported to Palomar Medical Center and are in stable condition.
"Please respect the medical privacy of victims & their families during this difficult time. Remain clear of the area as this investigation will take several hours," the San Diego County Sheriff's Office said on its twitter account.
One of the victims, Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein, suffered hand injuries. His condition is unknown. A witness told 10News that despite his injuries, the rabbi was trying to calm worshippers and the gunman.
The Family Assistance Center at Poway High, 15500 Espola Road, was designed as the meeting place for synagogue goers who got separated during the shooting.
The Sheriff's Department tweeted that eastbound Espola Road at Summerfield Lane and westbound Espola Road at Avenida Florencia would be closed through the morning of Sunday, April 28th.
The synagogue was hosting its Passover Holiday Celebration which was scheduled to begin at 11 a.m., according to an event announcement. The celebration was to end at 7 p.m. with a final Passover meal.
Saturday's shooting comes six months after nearly a dozen people were shot and killed in a Pittsburgh synagogue. Robert Bowers is accused of gunning down a total of 18 worshippers, killing 11 of them, at the Tree of Life synagogue on October 27, 2018.
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