A 17-year-old identified as Sarah L. Santiago has been indicted on three counts of murder and one count of conspiracy in connection with a shooting at an Islamic Center in San Diego, according to the Forsyth County District Attorney. Santiago was arrested last week and is being held without bond. The district attorney stated that Santiago agreed in advance to record a livestream of the attack, distribute the recording, and publish a manifesto written by the gunmen.
Two attackers, identified as Cain Clark, 17, and Caleb Vazquez, 18, carried out the shooting on May 18. The pair killed a security guard named Amin Abdullah and two other individuals before taking their own lives in a vehicle. A security guard exchanged gunfire with the attackers and initiated a lockdown that protected approximately 140 children in the facility. According to the indictment, Santiago also purchased a white-supremacist patch and sent it to one of the gunmen to wear during the attack. The district attorney indicated that three people initially viewed the livestream, though it remains unclear whether all have been identified.
The attackers left behind written materials containing anti-Muslim, antisemitic, anti-LGBTQ+, and anti-Black rhetoric. They cited the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings as inspiration and had planned subsequent attacks on a Jewish temple and Black students at a high school, authorities reported. Vazquez’s family stated that he was on the autism spectrum and had experienced mental health challenges, which they believed contributed to his radicalization when combined with exposure to hateful content online.
Santiago’s attorney stated that his client is innocent of all charges and indicated he has not yet received evidence from law enforcement. Under North Carolina law, the aiding-and-abetting charges carry the same penalties as if the defendant had committed the attack directly. Santiago is being charged as an adult.
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