Teen Charged With Murder for Livestreaming Mosque Attack

Sun Sep 06 2026 02:31:10 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A 17‑year‑old North Carolina girl faces murder and conspiracy charges after livestreaming a May 2026 San Diego mosque assault that killed three.

Following a tragic shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, prosecutors allege that a 17‑year‑old North Carolina girl recorded and livestreamed the attack, providing evidence of the assailants’ intentions. The two teenage gunmen fatally shot three people, including a heroic guard who kept children safe, before taking their own lives. Authorities discovered that the gunmen possessed a cache of weapons stolen from a parent, and the teens had drafted hateful manifestos linked to white‑supremacist ideology. The teenager now faces three murder counts and a conspiracy charge under North Carolina law. The incident underscores the lethal intersection of online radicalization and real‑world terrorism.

Teen Charged with Murder for Livestreaming Mosque Attack

A 17‑year‑old North Carolina girl has been charged with murder by aiding and abetting after prosecutors say she recorded a livestream of an attack on a San Diego mosque that left three people dead.

The case, filed in the U.S. District Court in San Diego, stems from a brutal shooting on 18 May 2026 at the Islamic Center of San Diego. According to District Attorney Jim O’Neill, the teenager, whose name is withheld pending further proceedings, published a manifesto and captured the entire assault on a GoPro‑style helmet, providing explicit evidence that the gunmen intended to broadcast the carnage.

The attack was carried out by two male teenagers—a 17‑year‑old and an 18‑year‑old—who opened fire on the mosque’s sanctuary. They then took their own lives. Despite the tragedy, security guard Amin Abdullah bravely engaged the assailants and triggered a lockdown that protected approximately 140 children inside. Abdullah, together with worshippers Mansour Kaziha and Nader Awad, were fatally shot.

Chief Scott Wahl described Abdullah’s acts as "heroic," noting that he likely saved dozens of lives. The authorities say the shooters had an arsenal of about thirty guns plus a crossbow, most of which were taken from one of their parents’ weapons collection.

Investigators also uncovered writings with racist and antisemitic content, referencing white‑supremacist ideologies and the 2019 Christchurch massacre in New Zealand as a model for the attack. O’Neill emphasized that the teen’s role was equivalent to that of the shooters under North Carolina law, making her liable for three murder counts and one conspiracy count.

The incident highlights the growing threat of online radicalization and the chilling efficiency with which extremist youth can plan and broadcast violent acts. As the case proceeds, it raises questions about how to curb such threats and protect communities in the face of a rapidly changing technological landscape.