New: Alleged Manifesto in San Diego Mosque Mass Shooting Throws Wrench in Early Assumptions About Motives
By Sister TodjahAs RedState reported, there was a mass shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday, just before noon Pacific time.
Three people were killed, including a security guard at the mosque named Amin Abdullah, who reportedly "played a pivotal role" in saving lives.
The two teenagers who San Diego police say opened fire have been identified as 17-year-old Cain Lee Clark and 18-year-old Caleb Liam Vazquez (earlier reports that had his last name listed as Velasquez were incorrect). They reportedly became friends online, where they were radicalized. Both were found dead a few blocks away in a car with what investigators believe were self-inflicted gunshot wounds.
Early on, San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl told reporters without going into too much detail that "There was definitely hate rhetoric involved" in the shootings.
On Tuesday, however, some of the pages from the alleged manifesto of the shooters were shared in an X thread by San Diego activist Amy Reichert, and it disrupted some of the narratives that have been spouted by The Usual Suspects about how the gunmen must have been extremist right-wing pro-Trump/Vance MAGAs who were motivated by a hatred of Muslims (language warning):
They hated women, they were incels. pic.twitter.com/cTMUI3iFXZ
— Amy Reichert (@amyforsandiego) May 19, 2026
They hated all immigrants (legal and illegal) pic.twitter.com/zAi1ofWNfm
— Amy Reichert (@amyforsandiego) May 20, 2026
The shooters were NOT MAGA, did NOT like Trump and did NOT identify with the Right. pic.twitter.com/bf96CylRfO
— Amy Reichert (@amyforsandiego) May 20, 2026
One of the shooters said he was/is left wing depending on the definition. He also claimed to be Christian. pic.twitter.com/7bay5jvo7L
— Amy Reichert (@amyforsandiego) May 20, 2026
Further, they were scoping for "diverse targets" and seemingly wanted to hit multiple locations:
According to the manifesto, the attackers behind the San Diego Islamic Center attack scoped out multiple “diverse targets” and were leaving it to fate if they could hit more than one location.
For the people asking, “If they hated Jews, why attack an Islamic Center?” because just like the KKK, they hated BOTH Muslims and Jews.
According to the manifesto, the attackers behind the San Diego Islamic Center attack scoped out multiple “diverse targets” and were leaving it to fate if they could hit more than one location.
— Amy Reichert (@amyforsandiego) May 20, 2026
For the people asking, “If they hated Jews, why attack an Islamic Center?” because… pic.twitter.com/rikDFztz54
The attack was also filmed, and according to reports, Clark shot Vazquez before shooting himself:
After carrying out the attack that killed three people — including a security guard who was praised for saving countless others — the video shows Clark, wearing camouflage, fatally shooting Vazquez before taking his own life.
The video also shows weapons and gear emblazoned with neo-Nazi insignias.
Authorities said the teens had stockpiled 30 guns and a crossbow, weapons taken from parents of one of them.
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