Caleb Vazquez, one of the two teenagers responsible for the mass shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, was on the autism spectrum and had been influenced by hateful online rhetoric, according to his family’s heartfelt apology.

“Over the last several days, our family has been trying to process the horrific actions carried out by our son against the Islamic Center of San Diego community,” the 18-year-old’s family said in a statement released by attorney Colin Rudolph.

“We want to begin by acknowledging that nothing we say or do could ever repair the damage his actions have caused. We are completely heartbroken and devastated by what has happened. We condemn these hateful and violent actions entirely,” they continued.

The family specifically mentioned the three victims — Amin Abdullah, Mansour Kaziha, and Nadir Awad — and thanked them for their bravery in preventing further deaths during Monday’s attack. All three men were laid to rest on Thursday in a ceremony in San Diego.

Vazquez and 17-year-old Cain Clark stormed the mosque, opening fire and killing the three men before fleeing the scene in a white BMW. The teenage attackers livestreamed the entire assault.

At Vazquez’s encouragement, Clark, who was in the driver’s seat, shot Vazquez in the head twice with a pistol, killing him. Clark then turned the gun on himself.

The family acknowledged that the attack caused devastating and irreversible pain to the victims, their loved ones, and the broader Muslim community, emphasizing that no apology could ever make up for the loss and trauma inflicted.

“We reject hatred, extremism, bigotry, and violence in every form. We stand firmly against the ideology and actions that led to this tragedy. These actions do not reflect the values we raised our family with or the beliefs we hold in our hearts,” the family said.

They added that their son’s beliefs and actions were completely at odds with the values they had instilled in him, highlighting their family’s diverse background and longstanding commitment to acceptance, compassion, and respect for people of all cultures and religions.

“Our son was on the autism spectrum, and it is painfully clear to us now that he struggled not only with accepting parts of his own identity but also grew to resent them,” they said.

Prior to the shooting, Vazquez and Clark released a manifesto, obtained by The California Post, in which they shared hateful imagery and messages calling for a race war. The weapons used in the attack were covered in racist messages, including “Race War Now.”

The pair also wore the Black Sun symbol, associated with Nazi Germany, prominently on their chests. Nazi SS commander Heinrich Himmler had the symbol inlaid into the floor of Wewelsburg Castle.

“We believe this, combined with exposure to hateful rhetoric, extremist content, and propaganda spread across parts of the internet, social media, and other online platforms, contributed to his descent into radicalized ideologies and violent beliefs,” the statement continued. “While there is no excuse for his actions, we have come to recognize how dangerous online spaces are that normalize hatred.”

The family said they had tried many times to help Vazquez with his mental instability, but admitted, “We will forever live with the burden of wondering whether there was more we could have done to help prevent this senseless tragedy.”

“As parents, we are grieving in ways we never imagined possible. But our pain does not compare to the suffering of the victims and their families. This moment is not about us. It is about the innocent people whose lives were taken, the survivors whose lives have been forever changed, and a grieving community trying to heal from unimaginable trauma,” they added.

“We can only pray that his actions and words do not inspire or incite further hatred or violence toward any community. They were the actions of an immensely lost, troubled, and misguided soul, and we hope no other family or community ever has to endure this kind of tragedy again,” the statement concluded.

All three victims were laid to rest on Thursday in a joint ceremony where they were buried next to each other. Hundreds of members of the Muslim community gathered to mourn Abdullah, a security guard and father of eight, who police say prevented more deaths, along with Awad and Kaziha.

The prayer service was held at Snapdragon Stadium on the San Diego State University Mission Valley campus.

“Three heroes martyred at the Islamic Center of San Diego protecting our children,” read a message on the Islamic Center’s website.

Mourners prayed and stood together near the bodies of the men before they were taken to La Vista Memorial Park in National City for burial.