In a shocking and tragic incident, a shooting at a San Diego mosque left three individuals dead on Monday, with the attackers reportedly sharing a live video of the horrific event. Disturbingly, they also released a lengthy document filled with racist, Islamophobic, and antisemitic ideologies.
The graphic footage, which has been reviewed by CNN, shows the assailants firing weapons inside the mosque while adorned with Nazi and white supremacist symbols on their attire. In a chilling moment captured on video, one gunman appears to shoot the other before taking his own life.
Authorities have identified one of the attackers as 17-year-old Cain Clark, while the other, an 18-year-old male, has yet to be publicly named. The video and a 75-page manifesto believed to be penned by the gunmen were obtained by researchers at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD), an organization focused on studying extremism. A law enforcement source, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing investigation, confirmed to CNN that the authenticity of the video is being examined.
During a press conference, Mark Remily, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s San Diego office, stated that investigators are currently analyzing a written “manifesto.” It remains unclear if this document is the same one reviewed by CNN.
ISD researchers expressed confidence in the legitimacy of the manifesto, noting that its content aligns with the livestream video and references usernames that had previously posted similar extremist views online.
One clip from the livestream shows the gunmen entering the Islamic Center of San Diego, the largest mosque in the area, armed with rifles and at least one pistol. They are seen firing through the mosque’s doors and moving around the interior, adjusting their weapons. The video captures the chaos as they step outside, with one of them firing a pistol and a victim lying on the ground.
In a subsequent clip, the assailants are seen driving in a vehicle, with one of them recording as shots are fired through the window. The driver then reportedly turns the gun on himself after shooting the passenger.
The firearms used in the attack were marked with handwritten symbols and messages referencing Nazism and previous mass shootings, indicating a disturbing connection to extremist ideologies. The manifesto allegedly contains statements from both gunmen expressing support for white supremacist beliefs, including the controversial “Great Replacement” conspiracy theory. They also reportedly admired past mass shooters and expressed nihilistic and antisemitic sentiments.
Clark’s statement purportedly details his disdain for non-white and non-Christian cultures, while the other gunman allegedly praises Adolf Hitler. The document even mentions the use of satellite imagery and Google Street View to plan the attack, suggesting a premeditated approach to their violent intentions.
The writings also hint at influences from “incel” culture and discuss the authors’ mental health struggles. Clark reportedly indicated that he did not expect to survive the attack and would not feel remorse for his actions.
Experts suggest that the iconography displayed by the attackers aligns with that of other recent mass shooters, who have been characterized as “nihilistic violent extremists.” Federal authorities have raised alarms about the increasing risk of attacks from individuals inspired by such groups, particularly those promoting white supremacy.
Cody Zoschak, a senior analyst at ISD, noted that the writings set these gunmen apart from other extremists due to their explicit embrace of neo-Nazi rhetoric. “There are strong indications that these individuals were neo-Nazis, specifically militant accelerationists,” Zoschak stated, highlighting their deep engagement with extremist circles.
As the investigation unfolds, the community grapples with the implications of this tragic event. What does this mean for the ongoing fight against extremism in our society?
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2026/05/19/us/san-diego-mosque-shooting-video-writings-ideology-invs
