North Carolina teen charged for role in livestreaming San Diego mosque attack
A 17-year-old North Carolina woman has been indicted on three counts of murder and a conspiracy charge for allegedly helping livestream and publicize an attack on a San Diego mosque that killed three people in May.
Sarah Lindsey Santiago, 17, was arrested last week in Forsyth County, North Carolina, and was indicted by a grand jury on Monday. Prosecutors say she recorded the livestream of the attack and distributed a manifesto written by the attackers.
District Attorney Jim O’Neill said the attack was intended not only to kill as many people as possible, but also to have the violence recorded, livestreamed and spread online. He said Santiago’s alleged actions made her criminally responsible as an aider and abettor, even though she was in North Carolina.
The attack happened at about 11:40 a.m. on May 18, when Caleb Vasquez, 18, and Cain Clark, 17, entered the Islamic Center of San Diego armed with guns. Prosecutors said they intended to kill everyone inside.
Amin Abdullah, Nader Awad and Mansour Kaziha confronted the attackers and were killed. Abdullah, who worked as a security guard, wounded Clark, forcing the two attackers to retreat. The mosque had about 140 children inside at the time.
Vasquez and Clark fired at a gardener as they fled before pulling over in their vehicle and killing themselves. Prosecutors said they had also planned attacks on a local Jewish temple and a predominantly African American high school.
FBI officials said the investigation has included more than 100 interviews, 30 search warrants and a review of more than 4 million messages.
“When someone has credible knowledge that a crime is being planned or committed, particularly any act of violence, the law requires them to come forward and report it,” FBI Columbia Acting Special Agent in Charge Reid Davis said. “Failure to do so is not only irresponsible, but it can also be a crime.”
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
