Sarah Lindsey Santiago, a 17-year-old student from North Carolina, has been charged in the fatal shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego.

Published on: Sep 1, 2026, 21:38:42 IST

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The 17-year-old girl who has been charged in connection with the fatal shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego has been named as Sarah Lindsey Santiago, a student from North Carolina.

According to WBAL-TV, Santiago is facing three charges of first-degree murder along with one charge of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.

Prosecutors claim that she consented prior to the assault to broadcast the massacre live, share the recording widely, and publish the gunmen's manifesto.

According to authorities, Santiago was purportedly one of three people who viewed the livestream and subsequently recorded and distributed both the footage and the attackers' writings.

Who is Sarah Lindsey Santiago? All on NC teen's arrest

Last week, she was taken into custody, and a grand jury charged her with three counts of murder and one count of conspiracy, as reported by authorities.

The teenager was among three individuals who viewed the gunmen's livestream of the assault. She recorded the livestream, shared the writings of the gunmen, and distributed both, according to Forsyth County District Attorney Jim O'Neill, as per NY Post.

Initially, she faced the prospect of spending only a few years in the juvenile justice system, given that she was 17 at the time of the shooting.

However, prosecutors expressed growing concerns as they evaluated the gravity of the charges and the potential for her to return to school in the near future.

“We didn’t know what she was capable of,” O’Neill stated in a press conference. “The law in North Carolina is clear. A person may be guilty of a crime, although he or she personally does not do any of the acts to constitute the crime.”

Cain Clark and Caleb Vazquez found dead

On May 18, three men lost their lives in an attack at the mosque, executed by 17-year-old Cain Clark and 18-year-old Caleb Vazquez. Subsequently, both teenagers were discovered dead in a vehicle close to the mosque.

Prosecutors are advancing murder charges based on an aiding-and-abetting theory, contending that an individual can be held accountable for a homicide without having to physically pull the trigger, provided they knowingly assisted in the commission of the crime.

Investigators claim that Santiago participated in the online distribution of materials associated with the attack, which includes the gunmen's manifesto and details pertaining to a livestream of the shooting.

Attackers wanted to kill several people

Authorities said that the assailants aimed to "kill as many people as possible that day" and sought to disseminate their actions and ideology to a broader audience.

The case against the teenager from North Carolina emerged during a protracted investigation into the massacre, which involved the FBI, officials in San Diego, and law enforcement agencies in North Carolina.

Officials stated that the choice to file charges was made after investigators scrutinized her purported communications and activities related to the attack.

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