New details are emerging about 17-year-old Cain Clark, the homeschooled San Diego teenager identified by a law enforcement source and police dispatch audio as one of two suspects in the deadly shooting outside the Islamic Center of San Diego.
Authorities say Clark and 18-year-old Caleb Vazquez allegedly carried out Monday’s attack at the city’s largest mosque, where three people were killed. According to law enforcement officials, both suspects were later discovered dead inside a nearby vehicle from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds.
Investigators say warning signs surfaced before the shooting unfolded.
San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said Clark’s mother contacted police roughly two hours before the attack, reporting that her son and his vehicle were missing. She also told officers several firearms from her home were gone.
According to Wahl, Clark’s mother described her son as suicidal and said he was accompanied by another individual, with both reportedly dressed in camouflage. Police believed the situation represented a wider public-safety concern because of the number of missing weapons.
Dispatch recordings reviewed by CNN reportedly described officers searching for “two white males… wearing all camo” who could be carrying a stolen handgun, shotgun, and rifle.
When police reached the Islamic Center, three victims were found dead outside the property. One of them was security guard Amin Abdullah, whose response was described by authorities as “heroic.” Police said his actions helped save lives.
A homeschooled wrestler with no recent school involvement
Clark had been enrolled in an online education program since 2021, according to officials. Before that, he attended Kate Sessions Elementary School and the San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts.
San Diego Unified School District spokesperson James Canning said Madison High School served as Clark’s neighborhood campus, allowing him to participate in athletics and activities there.
Canning said Clark wrestled for Madison High School between 2024 and 2025 but had not taken part in school activities this year. The school district spokesperson added that Clark had been expected to graduate.
The wrestling team’s Instagram account previously recognized Clark for a tournament victory and an award in early 2024.
According to the district, Clark’s disciplinary history consisted of a single elementary school incident in 2015 involving another student.
Family and former teammate react to allegations
As investigators continue examining motive and evidence, Clark’s relatives have publicly responded to the allegations for the first time.
Speaking to CNN outside their home, Clark’s grandparents, David and Deborah Clark, said they were “trying to process this” and expressed sorrow over what happened.
A former wrestling teammate, who spoke anonymously because of the sensitivity of the case, told CNN that Clark had appeared to be a homeschooled student attempting to connect with others.
“He seemed like he was a good kid,” the teammate said, adding that he had never witnessed violent behavior or heard Clark express anti-Muslim or racially driven views.
The investigation now includes search warrants, surveillance footage, interviews with relatives and associates, and evidence tied to the weapons used in the shooting.
The FBI is assisting local authorities. FBI San Diego Special Agent in Charge Mark Remily said agents are interviewing people connected to the suspects while gathering and reviewing evidence from the scene.
Officials are also examining hate-related language allegedly found on a weapon and writings in a suicide note recovered from a suspect family home. Authorities have not released the exact wording. Wahl said investigators had not identified a specific threat directed at the Islamic Center, describing the material instead as broader hate-filled language still under review.
