San Diego mosque shooter's family says autistic son was influenced by hateful content online
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA: The family of one of the two shooters involved in the shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego issued an apology following the horrifying incident, claiming that the teen was on the autism spectrum and influenced by hateful rhetoric online.
A 17-year-old teen and his 18-year-old accomplice allegedly carried out a deadly attack at the Islamic Center on May 18, killing three people before claiming their lives while fleeing the scene.
The duo livestreamed their entire attack and left behind a 75-page hate-filled manifesto containing racist, Islamophobic, and antisemitic rhetoric, including praise for Adolf Hitler, references to previous mass shooters, and ties to extremist nihilistic online communities.
Family of 17-year-old shooter apologizes for the attack
In a two-page apology, the family of the 17-year-old shooter noted that they “have been trying to process the horrific actions,” adding that “nothing they could say or do would ever undo the devastation caused by the attack.”
The family also thanked the three victims, Amin Abdullah, Mansour Kaziha, and Nadir Awad, for their bravery in preventing more deaths during Monday’s attack.
“We reject hatred, extremism, bigotry, and violence in every form. We stand firmly against the ideology and actions that led to this tragedy. These actions do not reflect the values we raised our family with or the beliefs we hold in our hearts,” Vazquez’s family said.
The Vazquez family said the teen’s alleged beliefs and actions stood in direct contrast to the values they instilled in him, stressing their family’s diverse background and long-held commitment to tolerance, compassion, and respect for people of all faiths and cultures.
While admitting that the teen was on the autistic spectrum, the family noted that “it is painfully clear to us now that he struggled not only with accepting parts of his own identity but also grew to resent them."
“We believe this, combined with exposure to hateful rhetoric, extremist content, and propaganda spread across parts of the internet, social media, and other online platforms, contributed to his descent into radicalized ideologies and violent beliefs. While there is no excuse for his actions, we have come to recognize how dangerous online spaces are that normalize hatred,” the statement continued.
The family said they tried many times to help the teen through his “mental instability,” though they admitted, “We will forever live with the burden of wondering whether there was more we could have done to help prevent this senseless tragedy."
The 18-year-old shooter left a mental health facility before the attack
The family’s apology came just a day after it was revealed that the second 18-year-old shooter walked away from a mental health facility just one day before the attack.
Law enforcement sources also revealed that the teen was already under a firearms restraining order issued after police conducted a welfare check at his Chula Vista home last year.
The visit reportedly stemmed from a 2025 911 call warning authorities about disturbing content posted on his social media accounts.
Authorities previously revealed that the suspect’s mother called 911 on the morning of the shooting after the teen allegedly left the house with firearms kept inside the home.
Despite prior warnings and multiple interactions with law enforcement, the two teens were still able to travel to the Islamic Center of San Diego and carry out the deadly attack before fleeing into a nearby neighborhood, where they later died by suicide inside their getaway vehicle.
