A 17-year-old girl has been charged in connection with the tragic shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego. She has been identified as Sarah Lindsey Santiago, a student from North Carolina.
Santiago is facing serious allegations, including three counts of first-degree murder and one count of conspiracy to commit murder. This information was reported by local news outlet WBAL-TV.
According to prosecutors, prior to the attack, she supposedly agreed to livestream the event, share the recording publicly, and distribute the manifesto written by the gunmen.
Authorities noted that she was among three individuals who not only watched the livestream of the assault but also recorded and shared both the footage and the attackers’ writings.
She was arrested last week, with a grand jury subsequently indicting her on the charges mentioned. Reports indicate that she had actively participated in broadcasting the attack online, which included releasing the gunmen’s writings.
At first, it seemed possible that she could only face a few years within the juvenile justice system due to her age at the time of the incident. However, concerns arose regarding the gravity of the charges and the prospect of her returning to school soon.
District Attorney Jim O’Neill expressed, “We didn’t know what she was capable of.” He further clarified that under North Carolina law, an individual can be deemed guilty of a crime even if they didn’t physically carry out the acts that constitute that crime.
In the attack on May 18, three men lost their lives. The shooting was executed by Cain Clark, who was 17, and Caleb Vazquez, aged 18. Both were later discovered deceased in a vehicle near the mosque.
The prosecution aims to hold Santiago accountable through an aiding-and-abetting theory, arguing that one doesn’t need to pull the trigger to bear responsibility for a killing if they knowingly contributed to the crime.
Investigators claim that Santiago played a role in spreading materials related to the attack, including the manifesto and details about the livestream of the shooting.
Officials indicated that the attackers aimed to “kill as many people as possible that day” and sought to propagate their ideology and actions to a broader audience.
The case against Santiago unfolded as part of an extensive investigation into the shooting, which involved the FBI alongside local authorities in San Diego and North Carolina. The decision to file charges was made following a thorough examination of her communications and activities linked to the attack.
