San Diego dentist fatally shot by disgruntled former patient, prosecutors say

A dentist working in San Diego was killed Feb. 29 after a former patient unloaded at least 23 rounds into his office before fleeing in a white U-Haul pickup truck, prosecutors say.

Benjamin Harouni, 28, died after being shot multiple times that afternoon, the San Diego County District Attorney's Office said in a news release.

“The loss is something I cannot explain,” Harouni's mother, Hilda, told the San Diego Union-Tribune. “And it really feels like there is a hole in my heart. There’s nothing I can do about it.”

Two other people in the dental office were also shot and taken to a hospital in serious but stable condition, the El Cajon police said in a post on X.

“The El Cajon Police Department mourns with the family and friends of the deceased victim and extends heartfelt condolences to those injured in yesterday's senseless and evil act of violence," the department added.

The San Diego County DA's Office charged Mohammed Abdulkareem, 29, with murder and attempted murder charges in connection to the dental office shooting.

“Today is the first step in seeking justice for the victims, their families, friends, and community in this tragic case,” DA Summer Stephan said in the release. “We grieve the loss of Dr. Benjamin Harouni along with his family. I am grateful for the thorough and professional work by El Cajon Police Chief Mike Moulton and his team that led to a swift arrest, and to our own DA team of experienced prosecutors and investigators who are working every angle of this case.”

A GoFundMe was started by Harouni's brother, Jake, to raise $100,000 for the "Hearts Over Hate" charity which supports families affected by violent crimes, according to the fundraiser page. So far, over $56,000 has been donated.

Alleged gunman identified as a disgruntled former dental patient

Prosecutors said Abdulkareem "burst into the dental office and immediately opened fire with a semiautomatic handgun," according to the DA office's release. The El Cajon resident fired at least 23 rounds for about a minute, prosecutors said.

The DA's office identified Abdulkareem as a former patient of the dental office. He was "well-known" at the office after repeatedly showing up over the last six months to complain about his dental work, according to prosecutors.

Authorities caught Abdulkareem in the Balboa Park area on the same day of the shooting near the U-Haul truck he fleed the scene in, the DA's office said.

"Detectives used the license plate information to determine that Abdulkareem had previously rented the vehicle in San Diego," the El Cajon police said in its X post. "Having that information so quickly, allowed for the photo of the truck and license plate information to be sent out to the public."

Police found a loaded semiautomatic handgun, ammunition and multiple handgun magazines in Abdulkareem's possession, according to the release. Abdulkareem legally purchased the handgun and received it Feb. 24, the DA's office said.

Abdulkareem pleaded not guilty in court this week and is currently being held in the San Diego County Central Jail without bond, according to the DA's Office.

Anti-Defamation League offers sympathies to shooting victims' families

Upon learning about Harouni's murder, the Anti-Defamation League shared a statement March 1 in support of the Jewish community and all the shooting victims' families.

"ADL is aware of the tragic murder of a member of the Jewish community in El Cajon and feel the deepest sympathy for his family and the families of the other victims who were shot," ADL San Diego Regional Director Fabienne Perlov said in a post on X.

Perlov noted how there is no indication that Harouni's murder was motivated by antisemitism.

"ADL's Center of Extremism has also not identified any extremist or hate-related motivation behind the shootings at this point," Perlov said in the social post. "We will update the community as we learn more."

In a subsequent X post, El Cajon police reiterated that there is "no indication the attack was racially or politically motivated."

"The shooting at the dentist’s office yesterday is heartbreaking and traumatic for the families involved as well as our community at large. We understand there are concerns about the suspect’s motive," police said, noting the case was still in the early stages of investigation.

Jonathan Limehouse covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected]