Three Killed Near San Diego Islamic Center; One Suspect Identified as Online High School Student

Authorities have identified one of the two suspects connected to Monday’s shooting near the Islamic Center of San Diego as Cain Clark, a 17-year-old student enrolled in an online education program and a former member of a local high school wrestling team.

Law enforcement sources confirmed the teenager’s identity as investigators continue treating the attack as a possible hate crime. Three people were killed in the shooting. The two suspects were later found dead inside a nearby vehicle from what authorities believe were self-inflicted gunshot wounds.

According to James Canning, spokesperson for the San Diego Unified School District, Clark previously attended Kate Sessions Elementary School and the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts. In 2021, his family enrolled him in iHigh Virtual Academy, the district’s online learning program.

Although he studied remotely, Clark was eligible to participate in extracurricular activities at Madison High School, his designated neighborhood school. He was a member of the school’s wrestling team from 2024 to 2025, though officials said he had not participated in school activities this year.

In January 2024, Madison’s wrestling program posted a message on social media congratulating Clark for winning first place in a tournament and receiving an individual award.

School officials said Clark was nearing graduation and had no significant disciplinary history apart from a minor incident in elementary school in 2015.

Timeline of the Attack

Authorities outlined a sequence of events that began hours before the shooting.

9:42 a.m.

Police received a call from a woman reporting her son missing, along with several firearms and a family vehicle. San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said the mother expressed concerns about her son’s suicidal tendencies and stated he was accompanied by another individual. Both were reportedly dressed in camouflage clothing.

Between 9:42 a.m. and 11:40 a.m.

Police elevated the case into a broader threat assessment. Investigators used license plate readers to search for the missing vehicle and dispatched officers to Madison High School because of a possible connection to one of the suspects.

11:43 a.m.

Authorities received reports of an active shooter at the Islamic Center of San Diego. Officers already nearby responded immediately.

11:47 a.m.

Officers arrived at the scene and found three victims dead outside the mosque. Police launched an active shooter response and entered both the mosque and an adjacent school, moving room to room in search of additional suspects.

At roughly the same time, a landscaper several blocks away was shot at from a passing vehicle. According to Wahl, one bullet struck the worker’s safety helmet and ricocheted, likely saving his life.

Moments later, officers located a vehicle containing the two suspects, both deceased. Authorities later stated the injuries appeared to be self-inflicted.

The investigation remains ongoing as federal and local authorities examine evidence and work to determine whether the attack was motivated by religious hatred.