Three Killed in San Diego Mosque Shooting; Teenage Attackers Dead

A shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday left three men dead and two teenage attackers dead from self-inflicted gunshot wounds, in what authorities are investigating as a hate crime. The attack occurred shortly before midday prayer at the largest mosque in San Diego County, sending shockwaves through the community and prompting renewed calls for action against anti-Muslim violence.

The Attack

According to The Associated Press, the two suspects — identified as Cain Clark, 17, and Caleb Vazquez, 18 — opened fire at the Islamic Center of San Diego in the Clairemont Mesa East neighborhood around 11:43 a.m. on May 18. Police responded within four minutes of receiving the 911 call. As officers arrived, gunshots rang out a few blocks away where a landscaper was shot at but survived, with a bullet possibly deflected by his helmet.

Police found the attackers dead in a vehicle nearby from self-inflicted gunshot wounds. No officers fired their weapons during the response.

The Victims

The three men killed were identified as Amin Abdullah, a security guard at the mosque and father of eight who had worked there for over a decade; Nader Awad, a mosque staff member whose wife teaches at the center’s school; and Mansour Kaziha, who managed the mosque’s store and helped maintain the grounds.

Abdullah is being hailed as a hero for confronting the attackers and preventing further bloodshed. San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl stated: “It’s fair to say [Abdullah’s] actions were heroic. Undoubtedly, he saved lives today.” Tazheen Nizam, executive director of CAIR-San Diego, described Abdullah as “a shining light” and “a true hero, a martyr.” Shaykh Uthman Ibn Farooq, a family friend, said Abdullah “wanted to defend the innocent so he decided to become a security guard.”

Evidence of Hate Crime

Authorities are investigating the shooting as a hate crime. Anti-Islamic writings were found in the suspects’ vehicle, and the words “hate speech” were scrawled on one of the firearms. A suicide note containing “writings about racial pride” was also recovered, along with an SS (Schutzstaffel) sticker found on a fuel container in the car.

Police Chief Wahl said the suspects had engaged in “generalized hate rhetoric,” though there was no specific threat made against the Islamic center. The FBI is assisting with the investigation.

Prior Warning

Tragically, authorities had been searching for one of the suspects before the attack. At 9:42 a.m. — two hours before the shooting — the mother of Cain Clark called 911 reporting that her son was missing, suicidal, wearing camouflage, and that her car and several firearms were missing. Police used automated license plate readers to track the vehicle and dispatched officers to a mall where the car had been spotted, but the attack occurred before they could locate the suspects.

Community Response

Mayor Todd Gloria condemned the attack, saying: “Hate has no home in San Diego. Islamophobia has no home in San Diego. An attack on any San Diegan is an attack on all San Diegans.” Governor Gavin Newsom stated: “Hate has no place in California and we will not tolerate acts of terror.” President Donald Trump called the shooting a “terrible situation” and said his administration would “be going back and looking at it very strongly.”

Imam Taha Hassane, director of the Islamic Center of San Diego, called it “extremely outrageous to target a place of worship,” adding that “the religious intolerance and the hate, unfortunately, that exists in our nation is unprecedented.”

No children at Bright Horizon Academy, the pre-K to 12th grade school housed at the center, were harmed. All were evacuated safely.

Broader Context

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) reported that 2025 saw the highest number of complaints of bias and discrimination against Muslims since the organization began tracking such data in 1996. CAIR linked the attack to what it called a “campaign of hate” by politicians against American Muslims, noting that a House Judiciary subcommittee had held a hearing on “Sharia law” just the week prior.

The shooting has prompted increased security at mosques nationwide, including in New York City, Los Angeles, and Ohio. The Islamic Center of San Diego itself was previously targeted in an attempted bombing in 1991 during the Gulf War.

What’s Next

The FBI investigation continues, with search warrants being executed as authorities piece together how the two teenagers obtained multiple firearms and planned the attack. Community vigils are being planned across San Diego. The attack has reignited national debates about Islamophobia, hate speech, and the security of places of worship in the United States.