Investigators said the deadly attack at the Islamic Center of San Diego was driven by online extremism and staged in part for an audience on digital platforms, as authorities probed a 75-page hate document attributed to the teenage suspects.
Caleb Vazquez and Cain Clark, who met online before discovering they lived in the same area, killed three people on May 19 before dying by self-inflicted gunshot wounds, police said. Victims included security guard Amin Abdullah, Mansour Kaziha, and Nadir Awad.
The FBI said the attack is being investigated as a hate crime. Experts who reviewed writings found neo-Nazi, incel, and accelerationist ideology. Screen recordings reviewed by CBS News showed coordinated video calls during the assault, with Discord users alerted to the violence in real time. Discord said it preserved data for law enforcement and found no evidence the livestream originated on its platform.
Community leaders called for action against extremist online networks. Funerals for the victims drew thousands of mourners across Southern California.
Police Chief Scott Wahl said security guard Amin Abdullah fired at attackers, forcing them outside before he was fatally shot. The mosque houses a school that was in lockdown during the attack. FBI Special Agent Mark Remily said investigators are still tracing radicalization pathways. CAIR California CEO Hussam Ayloush said the community was disturbed but not surprised given rising anti-Muslim rhetoric.
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Sources:
https://dailycuratednews.substack.com/p/news-headlines-may-22-2026