Utah imam raises concerns about Islamophobia after deadly San Diego shooting

A Utah imam said a deadly shooting at a San Diego mosque Monday was not shocking news as he raised concerns about rising Islamophobia in the U.S.

WEST JORDAN — A local imam said a deadly shooting at a San Diego mosque on Monday was not shocking news as he raised concerns about rising Islamophobia in the U.S.

Police said the shooting left three people dead at the Islamic Center of San Diego, and two suspected teen shooters were later found dead themselves of self-inflicted gunshot wounds.

Detectives were reportedly investigating the ordeal as a hate crime until proven otherwise.

At the Utah Islamic Center, Imam Shuaib Din said violent acts like these have almost become the norm.

“People in our society are committed to bringing that violence inside places of peace,” Din said. “These were considered, at one point in time, safe places, sanctuaries.”

Din expressed concern about what he believed was a trend of rising Islamophobia since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel.

“Whatever happens in the Middle East or any Muslim country in the world, it seems to affect the Muslims living in America,” Din said.

The imam said incidents like this one impact more than just the victims and their families, but also entire communities that surround them.

“It affects thousands of people — whoever belongs to that color or creed,” he said.

Din wasn’t the only leader locally to react to the deadly shootings.

Alex Shapiro, CEO of the United Jewish Federation of Utah, issued a statement condemning the attack.

“The United Jewish Federation of Utah is horrified by today’s deadly attack at the Islamic Center of San Diego, where three people were killed in an act of violence targeting a house of worship,” the statement read. “We mourn the lives lost and extend our deepest condolences to the victims’ families, the Islamic Center community, and the Muslim community in San Diego and across the country.”

Imam Shuaib Din, at the Utah Islamic Center in West Jordan on Monday, talks about the shooting that left three people dead at the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday.
Imam Shuaib Din, at the Utah Islamic Center in West Jordan on Monday, talks about the shooting that left three people dead at the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday. (Photo: Wesley Barton, KSL)

Din himself was the target of a shooting in February at the beginning of Ramadan, but prosecutors later determined the incident was not a hate crime and that it stemmed from past interactions with the suspected shooter.

He acknowledged he didn’t have all the answers for what took place on Monday.

“People seem to feed off of the internet; their hate, their fears, their Islamophobia,” Din said.

He urged others to do their part to stop hate where they see it.

“I think the people of goodwill should come together and say, ‘Enough is enough,'” Din said. “Become the keyboard warrior and do the best they can to shut these people down and say, ‘No, you are wrong.'”

The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.

Source: Utah News

Judge sentences Utah man to prison for meeting minor online, traveling to Omaha to sexually assault the child

A DOUGLAS COUNTY JUDGE SENTENCES THIS MAN. THIS UTAH MAN AND A CHILD SEXUAL ASSAULT CASE. MARCUS STEWART WILL SPEND 40 TO 45 YEARS BEHIND BARS. BACK IN MARCH, HE PLEADED GUILTY TO FIRST DEGREE SEXUAL …

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Judge sentences Utah man to prison for meeting minor online, traveling to Omaha to sexually assault the child

TOMORROW. HIS FATHER IS EXPECTED IN COURT LATER THIS MONTH. A DOUGLAS COUNTY JUDGE SENTENCES THIS MAN. THIS UTAH MAN AND A CHILD SEXUAL ASSAULT CASE. MARCUS STEWART WILL SPEND 40 TO 45 YEARS BEHIND BARS. BACK IN MARCH, HE PLEADED GUILTY TO FIRST DEGREE SEXUAL ASSAULT OF A CHILD. STEWART MET A MINOR ONLINE AND TRAVELED TO OMAHA, WHERE HE SEXUALLY ASSAULTED THE VICTIM. DOUGLAS COUNTY ATTORNEY DON KLEIN SAYS THIS SENTENCE REFLECTS THE

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Judge sentences Utah man to prison for meeting minor online, traveling to Omaha to sexually assault the child

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Updated: 10:14 PM CDT May 19, 2026

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A judge sentenced a Utah man in a child sexual assault case.In March, Marcus Stewart pleaded guilty to first-degree sexual assault of a child after meeting a minor online and then traveling to Omaha where he sexually assaulted the child.On Tuesday, Stewart was sentenced to 40 to 45 years behind bars.PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Utah man held without bond in Douglas County child sexual assault and enticement case“This sentence reflects the gravity of this offense and underscores our commitment to protecting children and seeking justice for victims. Cases involving crimes against children are among the most serious we prosecute. We are grateful to the investigators and prosecutors who worked diligently to bring this case to a resolution and to the victim and family for their courage throughout the process,” Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine said.Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |

A judge sentenced a Utah man in a child sexual assault case.

In March, Marcus Stewart pleaded guilty to first-degree sexual assault of a child after meeting a minor online and then traveling to Omaha where he sexually assaulted the child.

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On Tuesday, Stewart was sentenced to 40 to 45 years behind bars.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Utah man held without bond in Douglas County child sexual assault and enticement case

“This sentence reflects the gravity of this offense and underscores our commitment to protecting children and seeking justice for victims. Cases involving crimes against children are among the most serious we prosecute. We are grateful to the investigators and prosecutors who worked diligently to bring this case to a resolution and to the victim and family for their courage throughout the process,” Douglas County Attorney Don Kleine said.

Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.

NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |

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