A 17-year-old girl in North Carolina has been indicted on murder and conspiracy charges in connection with the May 18 deadly shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, District Attorney Jim O’Neill announced Monday.
Sarah L. Santiago, identified in court records, faces three murder counts and one conspiracy count. Authorities allege that while she was not physically present at the mosque in California, she recorded and helped distribute the livestream of the attack and published the attackers' manifesto. She is also accused of purchasing a white-supremacist symbol patch for one of the assailants to wear during the incident.
Caleb Vazquez, 18, and Cain Clark, 17, stormed the Islamic Center of San Diego with the intent to kill, authorities said. They killed three men who confronted them: Amin Abdullah, Nadir Awad and Mansour Kaziha. The assailants subsequently died by suicide in a nearby vehicle.
According to investigators, the mosque was one target in a larger plan that also included a local Jewish temple and a predominantly African-American high school.
O’Neill stated that North Carolina law permits a 17-year-old to be tried as an adult for such alleged conduct. "Our investigation shows that the individual had multiple opportunities to come forward to law enforcement and alert us of these deliberate actions, and the failure to do so must have consequences," said FBI Charlotte Special Agent in Charge Reid Davis.
The broader investigation has involved over 100 interviews, more than 30 search warrants, and the review of over 4 million messages. The Associated Press contributed to this report.