San Diego mosque shooting leaves three worshippers dead and two teenage suspects killed after a hate crime attack at the Islamic Center of San Diego in the Clairemont neighborhood
Aordinary Monday morning at one of San Diego’s most prominent mosques turned into a scene of grief and terror when two teenage gunmen opened fire on worshippers and staff at the Islamic Center of San Diego, killing three men before driving a short distance away and dying of self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Five people in total were dead by the time the sun cleared the Clairemont neighborhood hills.
San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl confirmed the shooting at a news conference held at a neighborhood park directly across from the mosque. He said the department is treating the attack as a hate crime while investigators work to establish the full picture of what motivated the young men to carry out what he described as a deliberate assault on a house of worship.
“All the places of worship in our beautiful city should always be protected.”
Police received their first call at approximately 9:42 a.m. from the mother of one of the suspects, who reported that her son had gone missing, along with her firearms and her car. She told officers her son was suicidal and believed to be with a friend. She also noted that both young men had been wearing camouflaged clothing when they left. While officers were still processing that report, gunshots rang out at the Islamic Center.
What We Know
- Three adult male worshippers were fatally shot inside the Islamic Center of San Diego in the Clairemont neighborhood on the morning of Monday, May 18, 2026.
- Both suspects, believed to be ages 17 and 18, were found dead in a vehicle stopped in the middle of a nearby street, from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds.
- A mosque security guard, who police believe played a critical role in limiting further casualties, was among the three killed.
- Hate speech was found scrawled on at least one of the weapons used. One suspect left a suicide note containing writings about racial pride.
- One suspect, identified by multiple law enforcement officials as Cain Clark, 17, had stolen firearms from his parents’ home before the attack.
- A landscaper in the vicinity was shot at but was uninjured as the suspects fled the scene.
- Five San Diego Unified schools were placed on lockdown as a precaution; all lockdowns were subsequently lifted.
- Imam Taha Hassane confirmed that all teachers, students, and staff at the center’s Al Rashid School were safe.
A Security Guard Who Stood in the Way
Among the three men who lost their lives was a security guard stationed at the mosque. Chief Wahl said the guard “played a pivotal role” in preventing the attack from becoming far worse, suggesting that the guard confronted or slowed the suspects in a way that limited the number of victims. His identity has not yet been officially released by police, but he is being described by those who knew the center as someone whose presence there was both familiar and trusted.
The Islamic Center of San Diego is the county’s largest mosque and is home to the Al Rashid School, which serves students between the ages of 5 and up with instruction in Arabic language, Islamic studies, and Quran. The center operates two complexes across San Diego County, with the Clairemont location serving as the primary campus. It sits in a mixed-use neighborhood of homes, apartment buildings, and strip malls with Middle Eastern restaurants and shops.
The Suspects: Teenagers With Hate in Their Hands
Multiple law enforcement officials, speaking to outlets including NBC News and CNN, have identified one of the suspects as Cain Clark, 17. A spokesperson for the San Diego Unified School District said Clark had been enrolled in the district’s iHigh Virtual Academy since 2021 and was on track to graduate this month. Though he lived within the attendance zone of Madison High School, he took all of his classes online. He was, however, a member of Madison’s wrestling team during the 2024-2025 school year, and the team celebrated him on social media in January 2024 after he took first place at a tournament. He had not participated in any school activities in the current year.
The second suspect has been identified by NBC News and the New York Post as Caleb Vazquez, 18, though San Diego police have not officially confirmed either name, citing the ongoing investigation. Wahl said both young men appeared to have died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds, and that their vehicle was found stopped in the middle of a road a short distance from the mosque. Aerial television footage captured the moment their car was located, surrounded by emergency vehicles.
Investigators found hate speech written across one of the weapons used in the attack. The police chief said the writings “covered a wide gamut” but included no specific prior threat directed at the Islamic Center itself, suggesting the location may have been chosen opportunistically rather than through any targeted advance planning against that particular institution.
A Community in Mourning
Aerial footage from the scene showed more than a dozen children holding hands and being guided out of the mosque’s parking lot by adults, weaving between rows of police vehicles. Parents were directed to a staging area nearby to collect their children. Imam Taha Hassane, the center’s director, called the attack “extremely outrageous,” and said no community should have to endure violence at a place set aside for prayer and reflection. “All the places of worship in our beautiful city should always be protected,” he said.
The attack has drawn attention nationally and renewed conversations about the vulnerability of religious communities across the United States. It follows a long and painful pattern of violence at places of worship, including a 2019 shooting at a synagogue in nearby Poway, California, that killed one woman and wounded three others.
Investigators Working to Establish Full Motive
Chief Wahl said that the circumstances that led two teenagers to take firearms, drive to a mosque on a Monday morning, and open fire on people gathered there would emerge more fully in the days ahead. He acknowledged that while the hate crime designation is currently being applied, investigators must still complete a thorough examination of the evidence, digital records, and testimony from those who knew the suspects before any final conclusions can be drawn.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has been briefed on the case, and federal authorities are working alongside the San Diego Police Department as the probe continues. The community, meanwhile, is grieving three men who did not survive the morning, and grappling with the question that always follows such an act: how does something like this happen here?
“The circumstances that led up to this will come out in the days ahead.”
Resources and counseling have been made available to students and families connected to the Al Rashid School and the broader mosque community. The Islamic Center announced it would be closed for the remainder of Monday as law enforcement processed the scene. No further threat to the public was reported.