One of shooters in deadly attack at San Diego mosque was previously flagged by FBI
The Guardian • • general
Key Points:
- Caleb Vazquez, one of the two white supremacist shooters in the San Diego mosque attack that killed three people, had previously been flagged by law enforcement for his idolization of mass shooters and Nazism, leading to the seizure of his father's guns a year prior.
- Vazquez, 18, and his accomplice Cain Clark, 17, were radicalized online, sharing white supremacist, pro-Nazi views, and expressing hatred toward Muslims, Jews, LGBTQ+ individuals, Black people, and women, with ideologies promoting extreme violence.
- The attack involved an armed confrontation with a mosque security guard who prevented the shooters from reaching children inside; the shooters then killed three men, including the guard, before dying by self-inflicted gunshot wounds.
- Authorities found at least 30 weapons, including guns and a crossbow, at residences linked to the shooters, though it remains unclear if the firearms used came from Vazquez's home; Clark also had access to guns growing up.
- Vazquez's family apologized for his actions, attributing them to his autism diagnosis and online radicalization, and condemned the ideology behind the attack; the mosque community has faced prior hate mail and threats.