May 19, 2026 | 10:43 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President of the United States Donald Trump described the shooting at the San Diego Islamic Center in California as a “terrible situation” on Monday night."I’ve been given some early updates, but we’re going to be going back and looking at it very strongly," Trump said when he was asked about the situation, according to NBC.Meanwhile, California Governor Gavin Newsom said he and his wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, were “horrified” by the attack and expressed support for the Muslim community in San Diego.“Jennifer and I are horrified by today’s violent attack at the Islamic Center of San Diego, where families and children gather, and neighbors worship in peace and fellowship,” Newsom said in a statement.He also offered condolences to the victims and said personnel from the California Highway Patrol and the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services had been deployed to coordinate with local authorities and provide state assistance.“California sends our deepest condolences to the families and communities impacted by today’s shooting.““Worshippers anywhere should not have to fear for their lives,” Newsom added. “Hate has no place in California, and we will not tolerate acts of terror or intimidation against communities of faith.”Separately, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria condemned hate-driven violence and vowed that those responsible would face the “full force” of law enforcement."No one in our city should live in fear because of their identity, their faith or their place of learning,” Gloria said during a press conference.The mayor also lamented that the attack occurred during a significant period in the Islamic calendar, ahead of Eid al-Adha — also known as the Feast of Sacrifice — and the annual Muslim pilgrimage, or Hajj, to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia.“Hate has no home in San Diego. Islamophobia has no home in San Diego. An attack on any San Diegan is an attack on all San Diegans, and we will not stand for it,” Gloria said.Suspects IdentifiedAuthorities said the suspected shooters were later found dead inside a vehicle that had stopped in the middle of a nearby road.Two senior law enforcement officials involved in the investigation, along with a federal law enforcement official, identified the suspects as Cain Clark, 17, and Caleb Vazquez, 18.According to San Diego police, officers first received a call at around 9:42 a.m. from the mother of one of the suspects, who reported that her son was missing along with a firearm and his vehicle, police official Wahl told reporters.She also warned authorities that her son appeared suicidal and was likely accompanied by a friend. Both teenagers were reportedly wearing military-style clothing.Investigators later linked one of the suspects to Madison High School, located about a mile from the San Diego Islamic Center, Wahl said.At 11:43 AM, police received reports of an active shooter at the mosque.“Officers were in the area still talking with Mom, trying to piece together where they might be, the locations that she felt that they would be at, and that was just a few blocks away,” Wahl said.“Those officers, once they heard what was happening at the Islamic Center, immediately dispatched themselves to the mosque.”When officers arrived at the scene, they found three victims dead. While police searched the Islamic center for the suspects, dispatchers also received reports that a gardener had possibly been shot a few blocks away, Wahl said.Authorities later received another report that the two suspects had been found dead inside their vehicle from gunshot wounds.Investigators are continuing to execute search warrants and pursue additional leads.“We’re going to continue following any leads and any information that comes forward as we’re all focused on figuring out how this happened and what could we have done to prevent it,” Wahl said.Read: Two Teens Identified in Deadly San Diego Mosque ShootingClick here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
