SAN DIEGO: Nine-year-old Odai Shanah, whose mother emigrated from war-torn Gaza and settled in Southern California two decades ago, was among dozens of children forced to huddle in classrooms on Monday when deadly gunfire erupted at the mosque where they attend school. In an interview hours after the late-morning shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, Shanah recalled hearing a barrage of gunshots coming from outside the walls of the complex, which also houses an Islamic day school.

The complex is home to the Al Rashid school where crowds of young students were seen being evacuated on Monday following reports of the shooting.

Odai Shanah was among dozens of children who had to huddle in classrooms when deadly gunfire erupted at the mosque where they attend school.