FBI Investigates Hate-Filled Manifesto Left Behind By Teen Gunmen In Deadly San Diego Mosque Attack

Cain Clark, seen here,was one of two teenagers who opened fire at a California mosque on Monday before taking his own life

Federal investigators are examining a lengthy extremist manifesto believed to have been written by the two teenagers accused of carrying out the deadly shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego — an attack authorities now say was driven by hate and online radicalization. (The Guardian)

The gunmen, identified as 17-year-old Cain Clark and 18-year-old Caleb Vazquez, allegedly stormed the mosque heavily armed and wearing tactical gear before opening fire on worshippers and staff members Monday afternoon. Three people were killed during the attack, including beloved security guard Amin Abdullah, who investigators say likely prevented a far greater massacre by warning others inside the building before he was fatally shot. (The Guardian)

Images from the scene showed a red gasoline canister with a sticker resembling a Nazi SS logo, as a shotgun lay nearby

Authorities later discovered the suspects dead from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds near the scene. (The Guardian)

According to law enforcement officials, the pair had met online and allegedly bonded over extremist ideology. Investigators say the manifesto and additional writings recovered from vehicles and homes connected to the suspects contained anti-Muslim rhetoric, racist beliefs, antisemitic content, misogyny, and praise for previous mass killers linked to white supremacist violence. (AP News)

Sources familiar with the investigation say the writings referenced several notorious extremist attacks, including the 2019 Christchurch mosque massacre in New Zealand, whose perpetrator also distributed a manifesto online before carrying out the killings. (Wikipedia)

The home of Caleb Vazquez is seen here in Chula Vista, California, on Tuesday

Investigators reportedly recovered more than 30 weapons tied to the suspects, including rifles, handguns, ammunition, tactical equipment, and additional materials that are now being analyzed by federal agents. (AP News)

Officials also revealed that one suspect’s mother contacted authorities shortly before the shooting, warning that her son was suicidal and may have taken firearms from the family home. Police had already begun searching for the teens before the attack unfolded at the mosque. (The Guardian)

Community members say the Islamic Center had previously experienced threatening messages and harassment but never violence on this scale. During the attack, children attending the mosque’s school were rushed into lockdown as staff and first responders worked to evacuate them safely. (AP News)

San Diego officials and federal authorities are continuing to investigate whether the suspects acted entirely alone or had broader extremist connections online. The FBI says the manifesto and digital evidence may provide crucial insight into how the teenagers became radicalized. (AP News)