The family of Caleb Vazquez released a statement Thursday, four days after the 18-year-old Chula Vista resident and a 17-year-old identified as Cain Clark opened fire at the Islamic Center of San Diego, killing three men inside the mosque.
The three victims are Amin Abdullah, Mansour Kaziha and Nadir Awad. The family described the men as heroic, writing that their actions during the attack prevented additional deaths. Vazquez and Clark are believed to have died by suicide in a nearby vehicle after the shooting.
The family condemned the attack without qualification, saying the violence does not reflect the values they raised their children with. They wrote that an assault rooted in hatred toward people because of their religion is an attack on the dignity of every person.
The family disclosed that Vazquez was on the autism spectrum. They said he struggled to accept parts of his own identity and grew to resent those parts. Combined with exposure to hateful rhetoric and extremist content online, they believe this internal conflict contributed to the attack.
The statement acknowledged a second victim—a landscaper targeted during the attack. The family said it was grateful the attempt to harm that person was unsuccessful and expressed condolences to him.
The family described their own background as diverse, including both immigrants and Muslims. They said they raised their children to treat every person with kindness and compassion, and that Vazquez's ideology did not align with the family's values or beliefs.
The statement closed with a direct message to anyone holding extremist views: hate has no place in the United States, and anyone experiencing violent thoughts or radicalization should seek help before more lives are lost.
