Parents of San Diego mosque gunman say a mental health facility failed to heed FBI warning

LOS ANGELES (AP) – Just days before two teenagers carried out a mass shooting at a San Diego mosque, federal law enforcement authorities cautioned the parents of one of the shooters that their son was making concerning comments regarding school shootings on.

What happened

Notably, 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 was living there and receiving treatment for a range of mental health conditions, including depression and psychotic episodes, the lawsuit notes. The court filings follow a number of high-profile convictions of guardians who provided teenagers with weapons that were afterwards applied in mass shootings.

Meanwhile, the FBI called Vazquez's mother on the evening of May 14, and she remarked 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. Vazquez's mother again shared the FBI's warnings with her son's therapist on May 15 and with a program director afterwards that night.

The bottom line

Taken together, the developments around parents of San Diego mosque gunman say a mental health facility failed point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.