San Diego Islamic Center Attack Leaves Behind Disturbing Evidence That Reveals Motive

Gunfire near the Islamic Center of San Diego sparked a massive police response on Monday, May 18, 2026, after multiple shootings unfolded across several blocks near the mosque.

By the time officers tracked down the teenage suspects, investigators had already begun uncovering troubling clues about what may have driven the violence.

According to CBS 8, the shooting happened at the Islamic Center on Eckstrom Avenue near the 805 freeway.

Police said the suspects also fired at a landscaper nearby, though the worker was not injured. Officials described the investigation as complex, with multiple crime scenes spread across several blocks.

Authorities later located the two suspects inside a vehicle near the mosque. According to CNN, law enforcement officials believe the pair was responsible for the shooting, and police later confirmed the threat had been “neutralized.”

Authorities have since identified the suspects as 17-year-old Cain Clark and 18-year-old Caleb Velasquez, according to the New York Post. Clark attended Madison High School, where he was known as a standout wrestler.

Reacting to the shooting, Clark’s grandfather, David Clark, said: “We’re very sorry for what happened. We know as much as you do. It’s a shock.”

During a press briefing, San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said the suspects appeared to have died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds.

“There were no officers involved in firing their weapons. But that is still very preliminary at this point. But that’s what we believe,” Wahl said.

Wahl also said authorities were not yet releasing the identities of the three victims killed in the shooting because investigators were still notifying family members and continuing to process evidence related to the case.

“We’re trying to protect kind of what we have,” Wahl said during the news conference. “There’s more work to be done.”

As investigators worked to reconstruct the timeline, authorities revealed there may have been warning signs before the shooting began.

Police Reveal Missing Weapons and Suicide Concerns Before Attack

According to CBS 8 and CNN, police first received a call Monday morning involving a “runaway juvenile” after one of the suspects was reported missing by his mother around 9:42 a.m.

Police said the mother told officers her son was suicidal and that several firearms, along with her vehicle, were no longer at the home. Authorities also said she found a note before contacting police, though officials did not disclose its contents at the time.

The teen was connected to Madison High School, leading officers to increase security around the campus during the day.

Police later revealed that the teen had left with another “companion” and that both were wearing camouflage clothing — a detail investigators noted as “not consistent with someone who is suicidal.”

“That began to trigger a larger threat assessment picture,” Wahl said. “Our threat management unit began to take the tips and leads that we had and utilize the technology we have available to us.”

But the investigation took an even darker turn once authorities began examining what may have been left behind after the shooting.

Investigators Examine Alleged Hate Rhetoric and Suicide Note

Authorities believe one of the teens took a firearm from a parent’s home before the attack, according to the same media outlet.

As investigators examined evidence recovered after the shooting, they also uncovered a reported suicide note containing writings about racial pride, while hate speech was allegedly scrawled on one of the weapons. Officials have not publicly disclosed the exact language.

Police are now actively investigating whether the shooting qualifies as a hate crime.

“There are details and information that we are investigating as to exactly what those, what the hate speech or the hate words were that were conveyed,” Wahl said. “But yes, it’s being investigated as a hate crime. At this point, there was definitely hate rhetoric that was involved.”

While investigators are treating the shooting as a possible hate crime, police said they have not found evidence suggesting the mosque itself had been directly singled out beforehand.

“There was no specific threat, especially no specific threat to the Islamic Center. It was just general hate kind of speech that I think covered a wide gamut,” Wahl said in a separate report. “Again, we are still actively investigating this as we speak, but it was more generalized.”

The police chief also acknowledged growing concerns about safety at religious institutions, describing it as an “unfortunate reality” and saying many people now feel a sense of insecurity.

As authorities continue investigating the shooting, the case has left the San Diego community searching for answers about how the violence unfolded — and whether more warning signs could have been spotted before the attack.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “help” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741, or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.