San Diego Mosque Shooting: Suspects Identified as Teens Found Dead After Attack
Authorities have identified the two alleged gunmen involved in the deadly shooting outside a San Diego mosque that left three people dead.
Three people were killed outside a San Diego mosque as police investigate anti-Islamic writings and hate-related evidence.
Cain Clark, 17, was identified as one of the alleged gunmen in Monday’s shooting at a San Diego mosque.
According to a law enforcement source, the suspects were 17-year-old Cain Clark and 18-year-old Caleb Velasquez. Investigators were also told that at least one of the suspects took a weapon from his parents' home before the attack and left behind a suicide note that discussed racial pride.
CA Post
Clark was a student at Madison High School and was recognized as a standout wrestler, according to the school's social media accounts. His grandfather, David Clark, 78, reacted to the news by saying: “We’re very sorry for what happened. We know as much as you do. It’s a shock.”
madison.warhawk.wrestling/Facebook
Following the shooting, Clark and Velasquez were discovered dead inside a BMW several blocks away from the Islamic Center of San Diego. Authorities said both died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds.
Investigators reportedly found anti-Islamic writings inside the suspects' vehicle. A source also stated that “hate speech” had been written on the firearms used during the attack.
At the location where the suspects were found, authorities recovered a shotgun and a gas can bearing an “SS” sticker. The sticker appears to reference the Schutzstaffel, the paramilitary organization led by Heinrich Himmler under Adolf Hitler’s Nazi regime in Germany.
Police disclosed that at approximately 9:42 a.m., they received a report concerning a runaway juvenile. The call came from a concerned mother who believed her son was suicidal.
After speaking with her, officers increased their assessment of the threat posed to the community. Police said the mother reported that several weapons were missing from her home, along with her vehicle.
According to authorities, the mother also informed police that her son was accompanied by another individual and that both were wearing camouflage clothing.
While police declined to confirm whether the missing juvenile was connected to the shooting, many of the details corresponded with information obtained by The Post.
Among the three victims killed was Amin Abdullah, a security guard and father of eight. Police credited him with preventing additional deaths during the attack. The other victims included a grocery store owner and another man.
Authorities said the suspects fled the scene in a white BMW, a detail shared during a Monday afternoon press conference.
In a video obtained by The Post and circulated within California’s Muslim community, Islamic Center Imam Taha Hassane reassured members of the community, saying: “We are safe, the entire school is safe. All the kids, all the staff, and the teachers are safe and out of the Islamic Center.”
Police said officers arrived at the Islamic Center within four minutes of the initial emergency calls, initiating what they described as a fast-moving and “dynamic” response.
During the operation, between 50 and 100 officers entered the Islamic Center and conducted searches of classrooms, prayer spaces, and nearby buildings.
The investigation remains active, and authorities have not announced an official motive. However, investigators noted that anti-Islamic messages had been inscribed on the suspects’ weapons, while one of the alleged gunmen reportedly left a suicide note promoting “racial pride.”
