Cain Clark and Caleb Vazquez, were named by law enforcement officials as the two suspects not long after at least five people were killed in a deadly shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, NBC News reports. The two people, who were believed to be 17 and 19 year old youths, were later found dead near the location where the attack happened, police said. Authorities said the boys had self inflicted gunshot wounds, and the investigators still haven’t settled on a clear motive , but they are looking into anti Islamic writings and hate related messages that were allegedly located inside the suspects’ vehicle and on one of the weapons used during the attack.
San Diego Mosque Shooting: Was It A Hate Crime?
Police also said three of the victims, who were killed in the shooting, had ties to the Islamic Center. This incident kicked off a huge emergency response across San Diego’s Clairemont neighbourhood. An estimated 50 to 100 officers turned up at the mosque and at the school site next door. While officers guided worshippers, students, and staff to safety, they moved through classrooms and prayer halls, and then they went through nearby buildings too. After that, officials reported that the threat had been neutralized, and the surrounding area ended up being safe, while investigators kept working at the crime scene.
Who Were The Victims?
Amid all this chaos, security guard Amin Abdullah was, hailed as a hero, for helping to protect worshippers during the attack. People from the community praised his bravery and his sacrifice, saying his actions very likely stopped even more loss of life from happening. Also, Islamic studies, the Islamic Center of San Diego is one of the largest Muslim community organisations in Southern California and it runs Al Rashid Weekend School for Arabic studies. Later the imam of the mosque , Taha Hassane said that all the kids, teachers , and school staff were evacuated safely from the premises. No injury whatsoever, at the time of the shooting.
What Did The Mother Of The Suspect Say?
Fox News reported that, that the mother of one of the suspects called authorities before the mosque attack, warning that her son was missing and may have been suicidal. She also said that multiple weapons were missing along with her vehicle and her son with a companion. CNN reported that investigators think one suspect took a firearm from their parent home before doing the attack and that they allegedly left behind a suicide note, and it supposedly referenced racial pride. Police are also examining hate speech that was allegedly scrawled on one of the guns that was recovered at the scene. At least one of those killed was a mosque member, and that person was part of a group killed by members of the Council on American-Islamic Relations , the organization said. Police in the United States , and also elsewhere globally, stepped up security for Islamic centers and places of worship as a precaution. This happened after the attack, by the New York City Police Department and Fairfax County Police in Virginia.
Also Read: San Diego Mosque Shooting: Three Killed, Chilling Videos Capture Chaos At Islamic Center
