A 17-year-old girl living in North Carolina has been indicted on multiple charges of murder for her alleged involvement in a deadly shooting at a California mosque earlier this year.
Prosecutors stated that the teenager assisted the perpetrators by filming a livestream of the assault and distributing a manifesto authored by the gunmen. The May 18 attack at the Islamic Center of San Diego resulted in three fatalities.
Law enforcement officers apprehended the suspect last week, and a grand jury formally indicted her on Monday. Forsyth County District Attorney Jim O'Neill addressed reporters during a news conference, noting that swift action was necessary because authorities were deeply concerned about potential future threats with the school week and religious holidays approaching.
The suspect now confronts three counts of murder and a single charge of conspiracy. Under North Carolina legal statutes, individuals accused of aiding and abetting an offense can face the same criminal liability as the primary perpetrators.
The original shooting involved two male teenagers, aged 17 and 18, who opened fire at the religious facility before dying by suicide. According to investigators, the attackers intended to maximize casualties and ensure the violence was broadcast live.
Three individuals lost their lives during the incident. A security guard named Amin Abdullah engaged the gunmen in a gunfight and successfully triggered a building lockdown, safeguarding roughly 140 children present inside. Mr. Abdullah and two worshippers, identified as Mansour Kaziha and Nader Awad, were killed after drawing the attention of the shooters in the parking area. Previous statements from San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl praised the security guard's courageous response for undoubtedly preventing further loss of life.
Evidence gathered by investigators indicates the assailants utilized head-mounted cameras to record the event. Authorities also uncovered plans for subsequent attacks targeting a local synagogue and a high school with a predominantly Black student body.
Searches revealed an extensive cache of weaponry belonging to the gunmen, including approximately 30 firearms and a crossbow that had been retrieved from one of the suspect's parents. Investigators noted that the perpetrators left behind documents filled with racist, antisemitic, and white supremacist ideologies. Reviewers of the material observed that the writings drew inspiration from the perpetrator of the 2019 mosque massacres in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Reporting based on coverage first published by BBC News. Read the original report at BBC News.
