San Diego Mosque Shooting Suspect's Family Releases Statement on Motives
The family of one suspect in Monday's shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego issued a statement Wednesday apologizing for the attack and attributing his actions to online radicalization. Authorities said the two gunmen killed three people before dying by suicide.
newser.comThe Islamic Center of San Diego reopened Wednesday after a shooting Monday that killed three people. The family of one suspect issued a statement apologizing for the attack and attributing his actions to online exposure to hateful content. The Vazquez family said Caleb Vazquez, 18, and Cain Clark, 17, carried out the shooting.
Authorities said the two met online and died by suicide after the attack. Officials are reviewing a document posted online that may have been written by the suspects. The document contains anti-Islamic, antisemitic, and anti-LGBTQ views along with Nazi iconography and references to accelerationism.
The Vazquez family stated that their son's beliefs did not align with their own.
The family said Vazquez was on the autism spectrum and had struggled with his identity. They said they had encouraged him to seek mental health help, which he did voluntarily. The statement condemned hateful and extremist beliefs. It urged anyone experiencing violent thoughts or radicalization to seek help.
The victims were identified as Amin Abdullah, Mansour Kaziha, and Nadir Awad. Abdullah, a security guard at the mosque, exchanged gunfire with the suspects and activated a lockdown protocol. No one inside the building, where up to 140 children were present, was injured. The family said they were grieving for the victims and their community.
