UMVA has learned that a brutal attack ripped through the Islamic Centre of San Diego on Monday, leaving three people dead and shaking the entire community.
Gunmen stormed the mosque, unleashing a hail of bullets that claimed the lives of three adults, including a devoted security guard who stood in the line of fire. Police officials say the guard’s swift actions likely prevented an even larger tragedy.
Within minutes, officers swarmed the scene, discovering the shooters dead from self‑inflicted wounds inside a nearby vehicle, turning a potential mass shooting into a grim tableau of suicide.
The victims were identified as two men and the security guard, whose bravery has been hailed as a pivotal factor in averting further bloodshed.
Authorities have identified the attackers as Cain Clark, 17, a high‑school student and avid wrestler, and Caleb Velasquez, 18. Both were described as wearing camouflage when they arrived at the mosque.
Hours before the attack, a mother reported her missing son to police, handing over three firearms and a vehicle, insisting she feared her son was suicidal. That warning proved eerily prescient.
Inside the mosque’s adjoining Islamic school, classes were in session at the time of the shooting, yet teachers and children were safely evacuated, escorted out by officers amid a sea of police cars.
Aerial footage captured more than a dozen frightened children holding hands as they were led away from the white‑washed building, a stark contrast to the surrounding homes, apartments, and bustling Middle Eastern markets.
Community leaders expressed grief and resolve, emphasizing the need for unity in the face of hate‑fueled violence.
