Law enforcement officers were actively searching for the two teenagers responsible for the deadly shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday, May 18, 2026, roughly two hours before the attack occurred. The tragedy, which resulted in three deaths, is being investigated by federal and local authorities as a hate crime.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!A Mother’s Urgent Warning
The chain of events began approximately two hours before the shooting, when the mother of one of the suspects contacted the San Diego Police Department to report her teenage son missing.
- The Warning Signs: The mother alerted dispatchers that her son was suicidal and had left behind a note.
- Missing Firearms: The urgency escalated significantly when she discovered that her vehicle and several firearms were missing from the home.
- The Active Search: Police quickly learned the teenager was with an acquaintance and that both were dressed in camouflage. Officers immediately deployed automated license plate readers, searched a nearby mall, and began actively tracking the stolen vehicle.
The Attack at the Islamic Center
Tragically, while officers were in the middle of their search—and actively speaking with the mother just blocks away—911 calls began flooding in at 11:43 a.m. reporting an active shooter at the mosque.
- The Casualties: Three adult men were killed outside the community center. San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl stated that one of the victims was the mosque’s security guard, whose quick and heroic actions “undoubtedly saved lives.”
- The Suspects: The gunmen, identified as 17-year-old Cain Clark and 18-year-old Caleb Vazquez, fled the scene in the stolen vehicle. After firing at a nearby landscaper, who was not injured, both teenagers died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds inside the car a few blocks away.
Investigated as a Hate Crime
While police confirmed there was no specific, pre-existing threat directed at the Islamic Center prior to Monday, the assault is being treated as a hate crime. Investigators recovered the suspect’s suicide note alongside anti-Islamic writings inside the vehicle, both of which contained “generalized hate rhetoric” and speech related to racial pride.
