A teen accused in final week’s lethal taking pictures on the Islamic Heart of San Diego had a twisted obsession with notorious mass killers and even confirmed as much as college dressed like them earlier than the assault.
Caleb Vazquez, 18, allegedly alarmed classmates and employees at Excessive Tech Excessive in Chula Vista after dressing up as infamous murderers accountable for a number of the world’s deadliest mass killings, in keeping with courtroom paperwork.
A Chula Vista police detective detailed the incidents in a request for a gun violence restraining order filed final January.
The teenager additionally reportedly got here to class in 2024 dressed as Dexter, the fictional TV serial killer who secretly lives a double life as a blood splatter skilled.
“He additionally admitted to dressing up equally to the current well being care CEO shooter,” Det. Nicholas How wrote within the courtroom submitting, referring to Luigi Mangione, who’s accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson.
Court docket paperwork present Vazquez had develop into obsessive about mass murderers, together with Patrick Crusius, who slaughtered 23 folks in a 2019 Walmart bloodbath in El Paso, and Norwegian terrorist Anders Behring Breivik, who killed 77 folks in twin gun and bomb assaults in 2011.
Vazquez and Cain Clark, 17, are accused of taking pictures three folks on the Islamic Heart of San Diego final Monday earlier than dying in an obvious murder-suicide.
The teenager first caught legislation enforcement’s consideration after two associates raised considerations with the varsity’s assistant principal, in keeping with the outlet.
Police later carried out a welfare examine in January 2025 after Vazquez, who was 17 on the time, allegedly warned a buddy to not come to high school the subsequent day.
When officers arrived on the household’s house, Vazquez’s father allegedly refused to let police converse to his son alone and wouldn’t enable officers to substantiate whether or not firearms inside the house have been correctly secured.
“The daddy’s lack of cooperation hindered officers’ means to completely assess and consider the reported considerations and make sure the security of all events concerned,” How wrote.
College officers additionally described a number of troubling incidents involving the teenager following a 2024 breakup together with his girlfriend.
In keeping with the assistant principal, Vazquez “was noticed punching a tree and exhibiting irrational conduct.” In one other incident, he allegedly shaved his head, stated he seemed like somebody in a focus camp, and pointed a banana at folks “like a gun.”
Regardless of the incidents, the assistant principal reportedly informed police Vazquez had by no means been suspended.
The educator additionally stated he was shocked when Vazquez claimed he was being bullied by a transgender scholar named Kai/Vivica as a result of no scholar by these names attended the small campus.
The teenager allegedly additionally informed college officers he wished to affix the army as a result of he “needs to expertise the danger of probably dying.”
The day after the welfare examine, college useful resource officers and an emergency psychiatric response workforce met with Vazquez, in keeping with the paperwork.
He reportedly admitted that he was turning into more and more infatuated with mass shootings and World Conflict II.
“Respondent made statements about idolizing Hitler and believing he had some redeeming qualities.”
Police paperwork additionally state Vazquez admitted to researching materials on the darkish net “so it couldn’t be traced again to him.”
He was later positioned on a 72-hour psychiatric maintain, and police efficiently obtained a brief gun violence restraining order towards him.
After the order was served, Vazquez’s father, Marco Vazquez, reportedly informed police he and his spouse eliminated greater than two dozen weapons, ammunition, and knives from their house and positioned them into storage.
Marco Vazquez was later served together with his personal gun violence restraining order, however Superior Court docket Choose Enrique Camarena dismissed it two weeks later.
