The parents of Caleb Vazquez, an 18-year-old who carried out a mass shooting at a San Diego mosque in May, are suing Park Mental Health Treatment of San Diego alleging that the facility ignored a warning from federal law enforcement officials about their son's concerning comments on the dark web. According to the lawsuit, the FBI contacted Vazquez's mother just days before the attack and shared its concerns with her therapist and program director, but the facility failed to intervene. The court filings come after several high-profile convictions of guardians who provided teenagers with weapons used in mass shootings. Vazquez's parents claim that they immediately notified the treatment facility about the FBI warning, but it was ignored until the morning of the shooting when employees reported their son missing.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-06,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Two teenagers, Caleb Vazquez (18) and Cain Clark (17), carried out a mass shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego on *May 18*, killing three people, including a security guard. Prior to the attack, the FBI had warned Vazquez's mother about her son's concerning comments about school shootings online, which he made on the dark web, and contacted her on May 14. The mother allegedly passed this warning to staff at the mental health treatment facility where Vazquez was staying, but it is claimed that they failed to intervene despite signs of an imminent threat. Vazquez had been receiving treatment for depression and psychotic episodes at Park Mental Health Treatment of San Diego.
Written for “California Mosque Shooting Probe” on 2026-09-07,
grounded in this article and the 1 other(s) covering the same event.
Federal law enforcement officials warned parents that their teenage son was making concerning comments about school shootings on the dark web just days before he carried out a mass shooting at a San Diego mosque, according to new details included in a recently filed lawsuit.
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Caleb Vazquez, 18, was living at Park Mental Health Treatment of San Diego and receiving treatment for a range of mental health conditions, including depression and psychotic episodes at the time of the attack.
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Vazquez → live → attack
His mother alleges in her lawsuit that the mental health facility failed to intervene despite signs that her 18-year-old son posed an imminent threat to himself and others.
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son → allege → himself
The court filings follow several high-profile convictions of guardians who provided teenagers with weapons that were later used in mass shootings.
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that → follow → shootings
The FBI called Vazquez’s mother on the evening of May 14, and she said she immediately left a message with the treatment facility to notify its staff, according to the lawsuit, filed in a San Diego court on August 31.
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Vazquez’s mother again shared the FBI’s warnings with her son’s therapist on May 15 and with a program director later that night.
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mother → share → director
On May 18, the morning of the shooting, employees at the facility contacted Vazquez’s mother to tell her that he was missing.
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Video surveillance footage subsequently showed Vazquez leaving the property at 8pm the night before.
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Vazquez’s parents were driving around looking for him on the morning of the shooting.
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parents → drive → shooting
Vazquez and another teenager killed three people at the San Diego mosque that day before taking their own lives.
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Vazquez → kill → lives
It is unclear whether Vazquez was allowed to leave the previous evening or whether he broke facility rules by doing so.
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Park Mental Health offers a range of treatment options, some of which advertise 24-hour surveillance, while others provide more limited counseling.
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The center did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment Saturday afternoon.
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In a previous statement to radio station KPBS, Park Mental Health disputed the assertions in the lawsuit.
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“While it is understandable that his parents might seek to blame someone in their time of loss, this lawsuit is misguided in that neither Park nor its employees are responsible for Mr. Vazquez’s actions,” the statement to KPBS read.
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“Only he and his coconspirator bear responsibility for their conduct and, ultimately, his death.”
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An FBI spokesperson declined to comment Saturday, citing agency policy.
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The FBI’s alleged contact with Vazquez’s parents was not the first sign of his mental deterioration.
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Vazquez had been hospitalized for roughly three days in January 2026 after telling a classmate that he wanted to carry out a school shooting.
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he → hospitalize → shooting
Almost exactly a year earlier, Vazquez was flagged to law enforcement for exhibiting alarming behavior and idolizing Nazis, prompting police to confiscate 26 guns from his father under a 2014 California law allowing firearms to be taken from people considered dangerous.
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firearms → flag → people
Authorities have said Vazquez met the other shooter, Cain Clark, 17, online and that both were radicalized there.
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both → say → shooter
Police have not shared more details about how they knew each other or specified whose weapons were used in the shooting.
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weapons → share → shooting
The lawsuit was filed on the same day that North Carolina authorities announced the indictment of a 17-year-old in connection with the shooting.
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authorities → file → shooting
If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
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you → base → Lifeline
If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
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In the UK, people having mental health crises can contact the Samaritans at 116 123 or jo@samaritans.org
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people → have → 123
