Cain Clark, described by some officials and reports as a virtual high school student and wrestler, was named among the suspects in the Monday shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego. Investigators are still determining motive, as police chief Scot Wahl sai
Cain Clark was one of the alleged teenage gunmen who opened fire at the Islamic Center of San Diego in the city’s Clairemont neighborhood on Monday, according to multiple reports and officials cited in the investigation.
Three men were killed in the attack, and Clark—described in those accounts as a 17-year-old—was believed to have died of self-inflicted gunshot wounds a few blocks away, as reported based on a police dispatch.
San Diego Police Chief Scot Wahl said investigators are still working to determine motive for the shooting, but that it is being investigated as a hate crime. Police have not officially identified the suspects; they have said only that two suspects, aged 17 and 18, were involved.
At least three different outlets identified the two suspects as Cain Clark. 17. and a second teen identified as either Caleb Vazquez or Caleb Velasquez. 18. One report tied the names to briefing details given to law enforcement officials and a federal law enforcement official. Another identification referenced a law enforcement official. A separate report said Clark had been named by a law enforcement source and a police dispatch.
The New York Post identified the suspects as Cain Clark, 17, and Caleb Velasquez, 18, citing a law enforcement official. CNN said Clark had been named by a law enforcement source and a police dispatch. Newsweek said it reached out to the San Diego Police Department to verify the names.
Inside the school system, Clark was described as a student who had been learning virtually. James Canning. spokesperson for the San Diego Unified School District. said Clark was enrolled in the district’s iHigh Virtual Academy since 2021 and was set to graduate soon. Canning said Clark was on Madison High School’s wrestling team during the 2024-2025 school year.
Canning said Clark took classes online and communicated with teachers online, and he said the decision to move into the virtual academy was made by the student’s parent.
He added that, for this year, the student was not on campus at all.
Clark’s grandparents, David and Deborah Clark, spoke outside their home to CNN, saying they were “very sorry for what happened.” They said, “We’re trying to process this.”
Investigators continue to determine what drove the attack. Police have not provided the suspects’ names. leaving the public to navigate a gap between what some reports describe and what authorities are prepared to confirm. For now. the facts on the ground are stark: a shooting at a mosque in Clairemont. three men dead. and two teenage suspects believed to be involved—one of them named by multiple reports as Cain Clark.
Cain Clark San Diego mosque shooting Islamic Center of San Diego hate crime investigation Clairemont virtual high school student iHigh Virtual Academy Madison High wrestling
Virtual student AND wrestler?? like what even is going on with this country.
I saw CNN say his name was in a dispatch or whatever and now everyone’s running with it. But police “haven’t officially identified”?? So how do we know it’s not some mix up.
They’re saying hate crime but motive is still unknown… so basically they decided it’s hate before they even figure it out? That sounds backwards. Also the other teen name is like Caleb Vazquez or Velasquez depending on the outlet lol.
Honestly this is why I don’t trust those outlets like NY Post. One second they say Cain Clark, next second it’s dispatch info, then school said he was virtual. I’m not saying he didn’t do it but the details are all over. And “self-inflicted gunshot” like ok so he ran blocks away and… yeah idk. Sad either way.