San Diego mosque gunman dressed as serial killer and idolized mass shooters, police say

Court records show police were so alarmed by the behavior of one of the gunmen who killed three people at the Islamic Center of San Diego that more than a year before the shooting, they obtained a gun violence restraining order against the teen, as his classmates and school administrators raised concerns he was idolizing mass shooters and threatening violence

Court records show police were so alarmed by the behavior of one of the gunmen who killed three people at the Islamic Center of San Diego that more than a year before the shooting, they obtained a gun violence restraining order against the teen, as his classmates and school administrators raised concerns he was idolizing mass shooters and threatening violence.

Subscribe to read this story ad-free

Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.

Chula Vista police requested the gun violence restraining order against Caleb Vazquez back in January 2025. In the petition, a detective wrote that the teen had come to school dressed as the character “Dexter,” a serial killer in the television show by that same name.

“For a high school student already exhibiting concerning behaviors and comments idolizing mass shooters, this act could be interpreted as an alarming indicator of deeper psychological concerns or a potential fixation on violent or dangerous ideologies,” police wrote, adding that the teen had also “made comments about wanting to experience a ‘day of retribution’” and expressed fascination with mass shootings and attacks.