One of the teenagers involved in this week’s deadly shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego had previously exhibited alarming behavior, including idolizing Nazis and mass shooters, which prompted authorities to confiscate his father’s firearms in early 2025.

Court records reveal that Caleb Vazquez, 18, had undergone an involuntary psychiatric hospitalization and faced mental health challenges, including being on the autism spectrum.Police seized 26 guns from his family after a welfare check highlighted his dangerous behavior.

Vazquez and his accomplice, 17-year-old Cain Clark, were radicalized online and expressed white supremacist and violent ideologies in writings targeting multiple groups, including Jews, Muslims, and Black people.Both teens had struggled with social rejection and mental health issues.

Vazquez’s family stated they attempted to help him through therapy, school monitoring, and gun restrictions, but exposure to extremist content online contributed to his radicalization.The police search for the teens began after Clark’s mother reported him missing with multiple weapons, leading to the fatal attack.

Experts warn that de-radicalizing youth has become more challenging due to the pervasive influence of online extremist content and meme-based ideologies.