Muslim Americans are once again grappling with a wave of anti-Islamic hate speech and violence. Community leaders say politicians and social media are fomenting the hate
By: Sunita Sohrabji / ACoM
The Muslim American community once again was targeted in a horrific hate crime May 18, as two young men stormed the Islamic Center in San Diego and killed three men.
The three victims have been identified as Amin Abdullah, age 51, a security guard at the mosque, Mansour Kaziha, 78, and Nadir Awad, 57.
According to a bulletin from the San Diego Police Department, Abdullah engaged in gunfire with the suspects, in an attempt to prevent them from going into the mosque’s school, Bright Horizons Academy. The suspects then entered the building, accessed a few empty areas and rooms, and exited through a door back into the parking lot.
There, they encountered Kaziha and Awad. The suspects opened fire, killing them, then fled in their vehicle into the neighborhood. They also shot at a gardener, who was not injured.
Shortly thereafter, the suspects shot and killed themselves in their vehicle. The mass shooting is being investigated as a hate crime.
The victims were heroes
In a May 19 interview with American Community Media, Zahra Billoo, executive director of the Council on American Islamic Relations’ San Francisco Bay Area chapter, said: “We grieve for the heroes who took such incredible risk. They lost their lives to protect the children, teachers and mosque attendees inside.”
“Brother Amin was able to call in an active shooter alert inside the school, which notified the teachers to lock down and specifically to barricade their classrooms. That heroic split-second decision cost him his life, but saved countless others,” said Billoo.
Kaziha, also known as AbulEzz, was a founding member of the Islamic Center. Community members who knew him said that he had worked there for decades. He was the person who protected the inside of the mosque, according to Billoo.
Awad rushed in from across the street. His wife was teaching in a kindergarten classroom at the same time. “And so he rushed over to protect the mosque, to protect her, and to protect the children,” said Billoo.
Islamophobia
“We’ve been angry to learn that the attackers were motivated by anti-Muslim hate, that they were both teenagers themselves who had access to — frankly — weapons of mass destruction,” said Billoo.
“The anti-Muslim, anti-Palestinian fever pitch that has come about in this country because of the egregious words, policies, and wars of our government has translated to tragedy here at home.”
“I wish we could say we were surprised. It was just a matter of time,” said the longtime civil rights activist.
Suspects
The suspects have been identified by law enforcement as Cain Clark, 17, and Caleb Vasquez, 18. Both suspects were found dead in a car near the site of the shooting, in what appears to be a murder-suicide. Several media have reported that Clark — who met Vasquez online — shot him twice in the head before turning the gun on himself.
In a long note, first obtained by the California Post, Clark claimed to align ideologically with Hitler. He wrote that he was inspired by mass murderers Ted Kaczynski, Timothy McVeigh, and Norwegian terrorist Anders Breivik. Clark wrote that he did not intend to survive the attack.
Several artifacts, including a gas canister with the letters “SS” inscribed on it were found at the scene. The gun used by Clark had the words “hate speech” carved into the barrel.
‘Sharia takeover’
”This is the sad state of the country. We live in a very hate-filled environment, fueled by rhetoric from political leaders. And Muslims are asking themselves every day: ‘are we next?’” Sameer Hossain, executive director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, told ACoM.
On May 13, the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution held a hearing titled “Sharia-Free America: Why Political Islam and Sharia Law are Incompatible with the U.S. Constitution.” Republican lawmakers testified at the hearing about a “Sharia takeover.”
”It was a very anti-Muslim hearing,” said Hossain. “Members of Congress were dehumanizing Muslims and stating Islam should be feared.”
”We need a level of discourse based on facts. Muslims have been in America since the beginning of this country,” stated Hossain. He urged every member of Congress — on both sides of the aisle — to ask their Muslim constituents: “What do you need in this moment?”
Social media companies must also be held accountable for their role in fomenting hate, said Hossain.
Islamophobia is on the rise
Hossain and Billoo noted that the Israel/Palestine conflict which began on Oct. 7, 2023, as well as the US-Israel war against Iran, which began on Feb. 28 this year, have contributed to a spike in hate violence against Muslims. Politicians on both sides of the aisle have used hateful rhetoric to further their political ambitions, said Billoo.
According to FBI Uniform Crime Reporting data, of the 5,810 race- and ethnicity-based hate crimes reported last year, 214 targeted Muslims. UCR reporting is conducted on a voluntary basis by law enforcement. The California Civil Rights Department noted in its most recent report that FBI reports capture only about 3% of all hate crimes.
The CRD reported that hate crimes targeting Muslims had risen nationally by 18% in 2024, the last year for which data was available. The Los Angeles County Human Rights Commission reported 15 attacks against Muslim Americans in 2023, a 171% rise over the previous year.
Race/ethnicity/national origin is the top driver of hate in the US, according to the CRD.
Social media foments hate
Raqib Naik, executive director of the Center for the Study of Organized Hate, told ACoM that social media has fomented much of the anti-Islamic bias in the US. In the first 7 days after the US began its attack on Iran, the Center documented more than 279,000 Islamophobic posts.
Much of the rhetoric was spurred on by Republican lawmakers, said Naik. In a report released April 21, CSOH analyzed 1,111 social media posts by 46 Republican elected officials published between February 2025 and March 2026. It also looked at 8 pieces of Sharia-related legislation introduced across both chambers of Congress and the rapid growth of the “Sharia Free America Caucus,” which now has 62 members.
In total, 89 Republican elected officials participated in at least one track of the campaign. Lawmakers used dehumanizing language, calling Muslims a “cancer,” a “plague,” “invaders,” and other hate rhetoric.
”What we saw yesterday is a culmination of that hate,” said Naik. “Young people have been radicalized by extremist ideas which help them justify their despicable acts.”
Online portals such as 4Chan, 8Chan, and others allow users to express extremist ideologies without moderation, said Naik. Popular podcasters and influencers also contribute to the radicalization of young minds.
Parents can be mindful of their teenagers’ early indicators of radicalization. Behavioral indicators include anti-immigrant discussions, and a sense that “something must be done,” said Naik. Withdrawal from friends and family, and fixations on action, violence, and revenge can serve as alarm bells for parents, he said.
Dhul Hijjah
The San Diego Islamic Center shooting occurred on the 1st day of Dhul Hijjah, one of the holiest times in the Muslim calendar. Dhul Hijjah will end on May 27, with the feast of Eid-al -Adha. Many will make the Haj pilgrimage during this time. And Muslims will gather together at mosques to celebrate Eid.
Billoo said mosques are assessing their security risks right now and taking steps to ensure the safety of their congregants. She encouraged people to attend Friday prayers and to celebrate Eid with others at their mosques.
”We want to encourage the community to keep showing up and to continue to practice their faith with each other,” she said. “In addition to security and elected officials, we’re also inviting our neighbors and allies to reach out, to express support, and to condemn what happened.”
“Those statements, those actions, those visits will go a long way right now to reassuring Muslim neighbors that they are safe and that they will be protected,” said Billoo.
