Teens suspected in mosque shooting met online, where they were radicalized, FBI says – San Diego Union-Tribune

Investigators believe that two teens who killed three people at San Diego’s largest mosque before fatally shooting themselves had been radicalized online, where the two became virtual friends before meeting up in person, authorities said Tuesday.

A manifesto had been recovered, and the incident is being investigated as a hate crime.

“They didn’t discriminate on who they hated,” Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily from the FBI’s San Diego office told reporters at a news conference. “It covered a wide aspect of races and religions, more than just the Islamic people in that church.”

The shooters have been identified as Cain Lee Clark, 17, and Caleb Liam Vazquez, 18. San Diego police Chief Scott Wahl said they met each other online and came to realize they both lived in the San Diego area. “But in terms of how the radicalization occurred, we’re still digging into all that,” he said.

Remily said 30 guns and a crossbow, belonging to the parents of one of the teens, were recovered as part of their investigation. Authorities searched three homes associated with the teens and seized “numerous” firearms — pistols, rifles, shotguns — from two of the sites. They also recovered ammunition, tactical gear and electronics.

In the SUV the teens used during the attack, he said, investigators identified “writings and various ideologies outlining religious and racial beliefs of how the world they envision should look.”

The teens arrived at the Islamic Center of San Diego around 11:40 a.m. Monday, and a security guard in the parking lot engaged them in a gun battle, Wahl said.

Security video shows the guard reach for his radio to call for a lockdown of the mosque, which alerted people to danger and helped them get to safety.

“His actions without a doubt delayed, distracted, and ultimately deterred these two individuals from gaining access to the greater areas of the mosque where as many as 140 kids were within 15 feet,” Wahl said.

The gun battle continued, and the guard was fatally shot. The gunmen entered the mosque and started moving room to room, but found no one.

The chief said video shows one of the teens pointing to a window, then both headed outside to the parking lot, where they cornered and fatally shot two other members of the mosque.

The pair immediately ran to their vehicle and headed out as police sirens wailed. “The massive response that was just seconds away undoubtedly pushed both of the suspects to run back to their vehicle and flee,” Wahl said.

Authorities said the teens shot at a landscaper a few blocks away, then drove a few more blocks and killed themselves.

A red plastic gas container spotted on the ground behind the SUV where the teens were found bore the Nazi SS symbol — two lightning bolts — imagery connected to White supremacy and neo-Nazis.

Two hours before the attack Monday, the mother of one of the suspects reported to police that her 17-year-old son had gone missing, that he was possibly suicidal and that he’d taken her vehicle and guns. He was with an 18-year-old companion, and the two were wearing camouflage, according to police.

Police, sensing a larger public threat, tried to track down the teens. Then the reports of a shooting came in at the Islamic center.

Asked to verify online video footage of the teens apparently livestreaming the incident, Wahl said he was “aware of that information” and that investigators were still going through electronics.

Meanwhile Tuesday, the three slain victims were praised for actions and heroism that local Muslim leaders said saved lives.

The men were identified Tuesday as Mansour Kaziha, Nader Awad and Amin Abdullah.

Hassane, the center’s imam, said all three sacrificed their lives for the good of others. He echoed Wahl in saying that if it wasn’t for Abdullah, 51, the “carnage” would have been much worse.

“He’s the one who stopped them, who slowed them down,” Hassane said. “If he didn’t do what he did, and he sacrificed his life, the two suspects could have easy access to every single classroom. We’re so proud of him.”

Hassane said Kaziha, 78, had been a part of the Islamic Center since it broke ground 40 years ago, and he was Hassane’s most reliable congregant — and

“In the last 22 years being the imam and director of the Islamic Center of San Diego, I have never done anything without him,” Hassane said. “He is on the top of my list for people to call … Anything that goes wrong — he was the handyman, he was the cook, he was the caretaker, he was the storekeeper, he was was everything.”

He said Kaziha was the first one to call 911 when the shooting started.

Hassane said Nader Awad, 57, lived across the street from the center, where he went every single day for prayer. His wife was a school teacher there.

Officials have not yet disclosed what types or how many weapons the teens were armed with and did not say what kind of firearm Abdullah had. Past videos of Abdullah that were shared on social media showed him wearing a tactical vest and carrying a pistol on his hip with multiple extra magazines on his belt.

“The Islamic Center is the largest religious gathering space for Muslims in San Diego since its founding nearly 40 years ago,” CAIR officials said. “It is also home to a school and as a result of this horrific attack, hundreds of children are now traumatized, along with the community at large who fear for the safety of their families.”

“Unfortunately, this was not the first threat against the mosque and school,” officials added. “Yesterday those threats turned deadly.”

Imam Taha Hassane of the Islamic Center — who had been onsite when the attack happened — said he’d never expected such an attack to happen.

“I mean, we are used to receiving hate mails, hate messages, people driving by and cursing and all that stuff. But such horrible crime, we have never expected this,” he said.

Mayor Todd Gloria said the three victims “represent the very best of our city. He also said it is “time for us to come together.”

“This pain is unimaginable,” he said. “And many of our community, specifically our Muslim brothers and sisters, they need our care, our comfort, our concern, and our support.”

Police on Tuesday continued to gather evidence at the mosque. A heavy police presence could be seen at the Islamic Center, including uniformed officers, parked patrol cars and at least one officer leading a police dog to sniff around the outside of the building.

On the driveway gate to the center, a memorial of flowers grew. Jeri Newell-Davis, a pastor at United Methodist Church in Linda Vista, stopped by to drop off flowers at the gate and then went onto the grounds to talk with the imam.

“Being of faith, we are all … family,” she said. “Imam and I, and other interfaith leaders, were praying on the National Day of Prayer together for unity. That brings us together as family. We are all praying for peace.”

Adam Garman, a 22-year-old college student home for the summer, also dropped off a bouquet. Garman and his parents have lived in the area for a long time, and he was home Monday when he heard sirens go “on and on and on.”

“I can’t believe that this happened in this community. I’ve been living here for almost 10 years,” Garman said, looking at the gated center. “It definitely will be felt for a long time.”

He said he used to say hi to the security guard at the center when he walked to get coffee in the mornings, saying the guard “was such a nice person” who often would offer encouragement for Garman’s studies and life.

“He was always smiling with a ‘Good morning’ and waving, and always like, ‘God bless you, have a good day, I hope God gives you what you want today,’” Garman said.

An interfaith candlelight vigil is also planned at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Lindbergh Park adjacent to the Islamic center.

Staff writers Alex Riggins, Kristen Taketa and Hannah Elsmore contributed to this report.