Additional Coverage:
A North Carolina grand jury has formally charged a 17-year-old girl as an adult with multiple counts of murder and conspiracy, linked to a deadly shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego earlier this year. The indictment accuses her of aiding two teenagers who killed three people in a racially motivated attack before taking their own lives.
On May 18, 18-year-old Caleb Vazquez and 17-year-old Cain Clark allegedly carried out the shooting at the mosque, fatally wounding three individuals, including a security guard who courageously attempted to stop the attackers. Following the incident, both suspects were found dead from self-inflicted gunshot wounds in a vehicle near the scene.
Forsyth County District Attorney Jim O’Neil announced that the 17-year-old suspect, identified in court documents as Sarah Lindsey Santiago, was arrested last week in North Carolina. She faces three counts of first-degree murder and one count of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. Prosecutors allege Santiago livestreamed the attack, circulated the footage afterward, and shared the manifesto the shooters authored to justify their actions.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily emphasized the significance of holding individuals accountable regardless of physical distance. “This case demonstrates that law enforcement will aggressively investigate those connections and pursue accountability wherever the evidence leads, including when juveniles are involved,” he said.
Court filings further reveal Santiago allegedly purchased a “Sonnenrad” patch for Vazquez, a symbol historically linked to Nazi ideology and white supremacist groups. The conspiracy charge also involves plans to attack worshippers at a local Messianic synagogue and Black students at an unnamed high school.
District Attorney O’Neil highlighted that, under North Carolina law, aiding and abetting carries the same penalties as committing the crime, meaning Santiago can be held fully responsible despite not being physically present during the attack.
The shootings unfolded shortly after San Diego police received a call from Clark’s mother, who reported her son was suicidal and had taken weapons and a vehicle. The two suspects arrived at the mosque, bypassed security, and opened fire around 11:42 a.m.
Amin Abdullah, the security guard who confronted them, was hailed as a hero for initiating lockdown procedures that likely saved many lives before succumbing to his wounds. Approximately 140 children were present at the mosque during the shooting.
After the initial attack inside the building, the suspects exited and shot two more victims in the parking lot before fleeing. They fired at a gardener during their escape but did not injure anyone else before dying by suicide.
Authorities later found an arsenal of over 30 firearms, including rifles and a crossbow, along with ammunition and tactical gear in the suspects’ homes.
“This underground subculture is an echo chamber of intense hate against different cultures and religions,” O’Neil remarked. “They radicalize one another to the point where they carry out these horrific crimes of violence and murder.”
The case continues to develop as investigators work to uncover the full extent of the conspiracy and the individuals involved in this tragic event.