San Diego Mosque Shooting Leaves Three Dead; Attackers Die by Suicide
Two teenage gunmen opened fire at the Islamic Center of San Diego, killing three men before taking their own lives. Authorities are investigating the incident as a potential hate crime.
On May 18, 2026, two teenage gunmen opened fire at the Islamic Center of San Diego, resulting in the deaths of three men before the attackers took their own lives nearby. Authorities are treating the incident as a potential hate crime, citing evidence of generalized hate rhetoric expressed by the suspects.
The victims included Amin Abdullah, a longtime security guard at the mosque, whose actions are believed to have prevented further casualties. Abdullah engaged the attackers and initiated a lockdown, allowing approximately 140 children present at the time to be evacuated safely.
The other victims were identified as Mansour Kaziha, 78, known as Abu Ezz, who managed the mosque store for nearly 40 years, and Nader Awad, 57, a daily worshiper whose wife teaches at the mosque's school. Both men confronted the gunmen outside the mosque and were fatally shot.
The attackers, identified as 17-year-old Cain Clark and 18-year-old Caleb Vazquez, were found dead from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds in a vehicle a few blocks away. Investigations revealed that the pair met online and shared extremist racial and religious ideologies. Authorities discovered a cache of weapons, a manifesto, and Nazi symbolism associated with the suspects.
Prior to the attack, Clark's mother reported her son as suicidal and missing, along with firearms from their home. Police were actively searching for the teenagers when the shooting occurred.
The Islamic Center of San Diego, the largest mosque in the area, also houses a school. The community has expressed deep sorrow over the loss of the victims, remembering them as heroes who embodied courage and sacrifice.