On May 18, 2026, a shooting occurred at the Islamic Center of San Diego (ICSD), the largest mosque in San Diego, California. Two teenage gunmen fatally shot three menโa security guard and two staff membersโoutside the mosque before dying from self-inflicted gunshot wounds.
๐ซ The Perpetrators
The perpetrators recorded a live video of their shooting and released a racist manifesto. Authorities stated that the incident is being investigated as a hate crime.
Two senior law enforcement officials identified the deceased male shooters as 17-year-old Cain Clark and 18-year-old Caleb Vazquez, both from San Diego. Clark lived in San Diego throughout his entire life, attended virtual classes at James Madison High School, and was a high school wrestler between 2024 and 2025.
๐ The Location
The Islamic Center of San Diego is located in the Clairemont Mesa East neighborhood of San Diego, California. It opened in 1989 and is the largest mosque in San Diego County.
The facility houses the lower campus, pre-K to third grade, of Bright Horizon Academy. The mosque was the target of an attempted bombing on January 11, 1991, during a period of high tensions as part of the Gulf War.
โฐ Timeline of Events
At 9:42 a.m., the San Diego Police Department received a 911 call from the mother of one of the perpetrators stating her son was missing, was suicidal, and was last seen wearing camo. She also said that her car and several of her firearms were missing.
At about 11:43 a.m., police received reports about a shooting at the ICSD. A witness said the gunmen carried out a drive-by shooting, targeting a male landscaper while yelling, before fleeing at around 11:48 a.m.
At 12:43 p.m., police said the scene at the mosque was still active but contained. At 1:07 p.m., police confirmed that the threat was neutralized.
๐๏ธ Victims and Response
Both San Diego Police and the mosque’s imam said that one security guard and two mosque staff members were shot and found dead outside the mosque. Community members identified the security guard as Amin Abdullah and a teacher named Mohamed Nader.
San Diego police chief Scott Wahl said that Amin Abdullah’s actions were heroic and he was “pivotal” in preventing more bloodshed. No children were among the victims, and all were evacuated safely.
The New York Police Department announced the deployment of more officers to mosques across New York City. President Donald Trump and Governor of California Gavin Newsom were briefed on the shooting.
๐ Evidence and Manifesto
The New York Times reported that investigators discovered anti-Islamic writing in the vehicle where the perpetrators were found dead. A 75-page manifesto that appeared to have been written by the shooters was later found online that espoused Islamophobia, antisemitism, accelerationism, homophobia, misogyny, and anti-Trump views.
| Category | Detail | Source/Authority | Date/Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incident | Shooting at Islamic Center of San Diego | San Diego Police Department | May 18, 2026 |
| Perpetrators | Cain Clark (17) and Caleb Vazquez (18) | NBC News (senior law enforcement officials) | May 18, 2026 |
| Victims | Three men: security guard and two staff members | San Diego Police and mosque imam | May 18, 2026 |
| Investigation | Investigated as a hate crime | Authorities | May 18, 2026 |