‘The Muslim community is hurting’: Reaction to arrest of 17-year-old in connection with Islamic Center shooting
Posted: Aug 31, 2026 / 10:26 PM PDT Updated: Aug 31, 2026 / 10:26 PM PDT SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — A shocking new development in the deadly mass shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego. Prosecutors say a 17-year-old girl more than two thousand miles away helped plan parts of the attack and spread the shooters’ message online. She is charged with murder and will be tried as an adult. Law enforcement called the shooting at the Islamic center on May 18 the first ideologically motivated attack on a mosque in a century. “Islamophobia is a real public safety issue,” said Taheen Nizam, the executive director of the Council on American-Islam Relations, an organization dedicated to enhancing understanding of Islam, protecting civil rights, promoting justice, and empowering American Muslims. Nizam says the muslim community still mourns the loss of the three heroes who saved 140 kids at the center at the time. “Right now, the muslim community is hurting,” she said.
Scoop News DeskSan Diego, California · Published Updated
Media link supplied by the Scoop Newsroom app.
Scoop News reporting summary
The text below was supplied by the Scoop Newsroom app. Third-party reporting is attributed in the source panel.
Santiago allegedly agreed to livestream the attack, planned to share the recording, and release the manifesto. “Being able to access what happened back in May of 2026 should not be something that anybody should be watching or glorifying,” said Forsyth County District Attorney Jim O’Neill. As they continue to heal, the FBI and law enforcement in North Carolina arrested a teenage girl for aiding suspects Caleb Vazquez and Cain Clark in the deadly attack. “You will not be protected by a distance.
