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Parents Sue Mental Health Facility Over San Diego Mosque Shooting
Confirmed
In Short: Just days before a mass shooting at a San Diego mosque, federal officials warned the parents of one of the shooters about concerning online comments, according to a new lawsuit.
Federal law enforcement officials warned the parents of one of the San Diego mosque shooters about concerning comments their son made about school shootings on the dark web, just days before the attack, according to a recently filed lawsuit.
The teenager, Caleb Vazquez, was living at a mental health facility in San Diego, where he was receiving treatment for mental health conditions including depression and psychotic episodes.
Vazquez's mother immediately informed the facility after receiving the FBI warning on May 14, but the facility did not intervene despite the warning signs.
On the morning of the shooting, Vazquez was missing, and his parents were searching for him when the shooting occurred on May 18, killing three people and taking their own lives.
The mother alleges in her lawsuit that Park Mental Health Treatment of San Diego failed to act on the warning, despite indications that her son posed an imminent threat.
In a statement, Park Mental Health said the lawsuit was misguided and that neither the facility nor its employees were responsible for Vazquez's actions.
The case has already drawn attention due to the warning signs surrounding Vazquez before the attack, and the lawsuit does not clarify how he left the facility or if he was permitted to do so.
What's confirmed
- LOS ANGELES (AP) — Just days before two teenagers carried out a mass shooting at a San Diego mosque, federal law enforcement officials warned the parents of one of the shooters that their son was making concerning comments about school shootings on the dark web, according to new details included in a recently filed lawsuit.
- Vazquez was living there and receiving treatment for a range of mental health conditions, including depression and psychotic episodes, the lawsuit says.
- 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 Aug. 31.
- On May 18, the morning of the shooting, employees at the facility contacted Vazquez’s mother to tell her that he was missing.
- Vazquez’s parents were driving around looking for him on the morning of the shooting.
- It is unclear whether Vazquez was allowed to leave the previous evening or whether he broke facility rules by doing so.
- The mother of Caleb Vazquez alleges in her lawsuit that Park Mental Health Treatment of San Diego failed to intervene despite signs that her 18-year-old son posed an imminent threat to himself and others.
- 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.
What's still developing
- An FBI spokesperson declined to comment on the alleged warning, citing agency policy.
- The shooting also prompted anger toward local leadership in the aftermath, as previously reported in a confrontation with San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria.