Crime Stories with Nancy Grace - Three Men Hailed as Heroes Killed in San Diego Mosque Shooting | Crime Alert 05.20.26

Episode Date: May 20, 2026

The three victims killed in a shooting at a San Diego mosque are hailed as heroes for calliing 911 and protecting more than 100 children inside. A potentially drunk New York City driver kills two in violent chain-reaction crash. Two Americans arrested in Japan for breaking into enclosure baby "Punch" calls home. Sydney Silvagni reports. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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It's a summer kickoff thing. Join today at Simonplus.com. Rewards program Terms Apply. See Simonplus.com for details. Crime alert, hourly update. Breaking Crime News now. I'm Sydney Salvani. In Southern California, a community is mourning

following a tragic attack at a San Diego mosque. On Monday, two teenage gunmen opened fire at the Islamic Center of San Diego, killing three people before taking their own lives. Authorities are currently investigating the mass shooting as a possible hate-haping. crime. The three victims have been identified as Mansour Kizija, Nader Awad, and Amin Abdullah. Abdullah, an armed security guard at the center, is being hailed as a hero.

Police say that after being struck during an outdoor gun battle with the suspects, Abdullah managed to reach his radio and initiate a building-wide lockdown protocol, successfully protecting those inside. San Diego Police Chief Scott Wall detailed the critical impact of Abdullah's bravery. His actions without a doubt, delayed, distracted, and ultimately deterred these two individuals from gaining access to the greater areas of the mosque where as many as 140 kids were within 15 feet of these suspects. The other two victims, Kaziha, a longtime caretaker who first dialed 911 and a wad,

were fatally shot in the parking lot after attempting to intervene and protect the facility. officials have identified the suspects as 17-year-old Kane Clark and 18-year-old Caleb Vasquez. Following search warrants, the FBI recovered more than 30 firearms, ammunition, and tactical gear. Investigators are also working to authenticate a 75-page online manifesto linked to the suspects that details white supremacist ideologies alongside anti-Islamic, anti-Semitic, and anti-LGBQ views. FBI official Mark Remley addressed the ongoing analysis of the suspect's writings. In the vehicle they used, we also identified writings and various ideologies, outlining religious and racial beliefs of how the world they envision should look. These subjects did not discriminate on who they hated.

The shooting has rattled Muslim communities nationwide, drawing widespread condemnation and prompt demands from civil rights groups to confront Islamophobia. Mosque Imam Taha Ha Hussein, called the violence unprecedented, stating that all communities must now share the responsibility of spreading a culture of tolerance. In New York, a horrific scene on Manhattan's Upper West Side has left two people dead and several others hospitalized. The NYPD says a suspected drunk driver caused a massive violent chain reaction collision Friday evening around 6 p.m. The tragedy unfolded at the busy intersection of West 109th Street in Amsterdam Avenue. Investigators say 61-year-old Elvin Suarez was driving a 2019 Mercedes SUV northbound when he first struck a parked Volkswagen jet.

Suarez that allegedly accelerated through the intersection, violently jumped a median and plowed directly into four pedestrians. The speeding Mercedes did not stop there. It slammed into an occupied van, pushing that vehicle into a row of four parked cars. Emergency crews rushed the victims to Mount Sinai Morningside Hospital. Tragically, two pedestrians identified as 46-year-old Jason Negroen and 35-year-old Michael St. Hillare succumbed to their injuries and were pronounced dead. Suarez, the occupant of the van, and two other pedestrians, ages 44 and 36, survived in stable condition. Suarez was immediately placed under arrest. He's facing severe charges, including two counts of manslaughter, two counts of vehicular assault, and driving well intoxicated.

The NYPD Highway District's Collision Investigation Squad is continuing to recreate the scene to determine exactly how fast Suarez was traveling before the catastrophic impact. More crime and justice news after this. Get rewarded just for shopping with Simon Plus. Don't miss Memorial Day sales at Simon Premium Outlets and Mills. You can get points at scores of stores, access to exclusive offers and exciting surprises. You've got an extra day off, so make it pay off, with the best deals from brands you love, all in one place.

It's a summer kickoff thing. Join today at Simonplus.com. Rewards program terms apply. See Simonplus.com for details. A bizarre viral stunt in Japan has landed two American nationals in hot water. On Sunday, authorities arrested a 24-year-old college student and a 27-year-old self-described singer at the Ichikawa City Zoo. The reason? A reckless bid for social media clout. Video circulating online show a person dressed in a full emoji costume climbing over a barrier straight into the Japanese macaque enclosure. The intruder dropped a small stuffed toy near the monkeys, startling the troop and causing them to scatter in fear. Zoo staff intervened immediately. While no physical contact was made and no animals were hurt, the two men were handed over to police on suspicion of forcible obstruction of business. According to local reports, one suspect is refusing to cooperate, while the other denies the allegations entirely. So why target this specific enclosure?

The short answer is internet fame. The stunt took place at the home of Punch, a young macaque, who became a global internet sensation. Punch has had a tough start to life. He was abandoned by his mother shortly after his birth in July 2025. When zookeepers tried to reintegrate him into the Monkey Mountain troop earlier this year, he was heavily bullied and isolated. To cope, Punch bonded deeply with a stuffed orange orangutan toy, clutching it for comfort. Videos of the lonely monkey and his plushy went viral, drawing massive, hours-long lines of visitors to the zoo. Fortunately, the zoo has confirmed that Punch and his troop survived the weekend's disruption unscathed. The zoo has temporarily closed some viewing areas to enhance security measures, but operations are continuing. As for Punch's

progress, zookeepers say their patience is paying off. Recent footage shows him finally initiating social contact with a gentle female macaque, even hitching a piggyback ride, a vital milestone for his development. While he still grabs his stuffed toy when he feels threatened, experts hope stunts like Sundays won't set his recovery back. For the latest crime and justice breaking news, be sure to tune in tomorrow on your favorite podcast app. With this crime alert, I'm Sidney Solvani. Get rewarded just for shopping with Simon Plus. Don't miss Memorial Day sales at Simon Premium Outlets and Mills. You can get points at scores of stores, access to exclusive offers, and exciting surprises.

You've got an extra day off, so make it pay off with the best deals from brands you love all in one place. It's a summer kickoff thing. Join today at Simonplus.com. Rewards program terms apply. See Simonplus.com for details. This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed human.