SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The woman who prompted a lockdown at the Islamic Center of San Diego on Tuesday was taken into custody Wednesday morning by the San Diego Police Department.
ABC10News encountered the woman during a 6 a.m. live report. When the woman claimed that she was the one responsible for triggering Tuesday's lockdown, ABC 10News alerted both the Imam and SDPD.
The Imam met with ABC10News and confirmed who she was. Imam Taha Hassan said that he invited her back for morning prayer because after what happened on Tuesday, he felt the woman would be safer at the Islamic Center versus driving alone while dealing with a mental health crisis.
That was around the time the mosque opened for morning prayer.
Then, just before 7 a.m., when morning prayer ended, the woman was seen leaving the mosque, and several SDPD cars raced after her.
SDPD took the woman into custody and told ABC 10News that she was going to be undergoing a medical evaluation for the next 72 hours. The agency did not identify her.
Hassan told ABC 10News that after morning prayer, he tried having a heartfelt conversation with the woman, encouraging her to seek medical help. The woman became upset, and when she left, Hassan said he called SDPD because he felt it was the safest thing to do.
The lockdown the woman prompted on Tuesday came five months after a mass shooting at the mosque that left three men dead.
SDPD said the woman was not targeting the mosque, but seeking help rather. SDPD said her family had called authorities to report that she was suicidal, possibly armed, and headed to the Islamic Center. The woman had come from New York, then was pulled over in Carlsbad on Tuesday for erratic driving. When she took off for the Islamic Center, SDPD was alerted.
SDPD said that out of an abundance of caution, they shut down the Islamic Center, its school, nearby schools, and alerted all the other mosques in the county.
SDPD released the following statement Wednesday:
"On October 27, 2026, the San Diego Police Department responded to the Islamic Center of San Diego regarding a 37-year-old female who was possibly armed with a gun and experiencing a mental health crisis. It was discovered she was at the Center and left just prior to police arrival.
During the course of that investigation, it was determined the female was no longer in San Diego County and the Center could safely resume its services.
This morning, it was reported the woman had returned to the Center. The Center had been in contact with the woman overnight and she had been invited back in order to provide her help. SDPD had been in communication with the Center to ensure their safety.
SDPD Northern Division Officers responded with Psychiatric Emergency Response Team (PERT) clinicians to assist the woman. At this time, the woman is not under arrest nor facing any charges from the San Diego Police Department.
She has been detained for a mental health evaluation.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline."
