Security Guard Killed in San Diego Mosque Attack Hailed as Hero

A security guard killed during a shooting at a San Diego mosque Monday is being hailed as a hero after police said his actions “undoubtedly” saved lives.

Two teenagers opened fire at the Islamic Center of San Diego, California, killing three men. The attackers, aged 17 and 18, were found dead several blocks away from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds, officials said.

Among those killed was 51-year-old Amin Abdullah, a security guard at the center.

Speaking at a news conference Tuesday, San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said the two shooters ran past Abdullah, who “immediately observed the threat to everybody at the mosque” and “began to engage them with gunfire”.

“Both suspects returned fire,” Wahl said, adding that during the “gun battle” Abdullah reached for his radio and “put out the lockdown protocol” for the center.

“His actions without a doubt delayed, distracted and ultimately deterred these two individuals from gaining access to the greater areas of the mosque where as many as 140 kids were within 15 ft of these suspects,” Wahl said. “Tragically, he died in that gun battle.”

The two other victims were identified as 78-year-old Mansour Kaziha, described as a mosque elder and founding member of the center, and Nadir Awad, 57, who lived across the street from the center and whose wife worked as a teacher at the center’s school.

On Tuesday, Wahl said that Kaziha and Awad drew the attention of the attackers and drew them “back out into the parking lot area”.

Kaziha, Wahl said, was the first person to call 911.

In the parking lot, the two men “were unfortunately unable to flee”, police said, and the attackers cornered and killed them. Both suspects fled and were found dead in a car nearby.

“I want to be very clear, all three of our victims did not die in vain,” Wahl said. “Without distracting the attention, without delaying the actions of these two individuals, without question, there would have been many more fatalities”.

At the news conference, Imam Taha Hassane, director of the Islamic Center of San Diego, described the three victims as “brothers in the community” and called them “our martyrs and our heroes”.

He said Abdullah was “such a lovely person” who “never stopped smiling to anyone”.

“If it was not for him, as chief mentioned, the carnage would be much worse,” Hassane said. “He’s the one who stopped them, who slowed them down. If he didn’t do what he did and he sacrificed his life, the two suspects would have easily access to every single classroom.”

Hassane described Kaziha as the “pillar” of the Islamic Center. “I have never done anything without him”.

Awad, whom Hassane described as a neighbor, “rushed to do something” after hearing gunfire.

“My community is mourning,” Hassane said. “My community is keeping our three heroes in their prayers.”

Mark Brimley, special agent in charge of the FBI’s San Diego field office, said Tuesday that the victims were “there to help others be part of a community that came together in peace”.

“Instead, they were confronted by teenagers who appear to have been radicalized online to believe that they didn’t belong because of how they looked or where they worshipped,” he said.

At a separate news conference Tuesday, Abdullah’s daughter, Hawaa Abdullah, remembered her father as “a loving father, husband, son, brother, and uncle”.

“To me, my dad was a role model,” she said. “He was a best friend, he was the best absolute best dad in the world. He was my protector. My dad was a number one advocate for safety and keeping our communities safe. He stood against any form of hate.”

Police and the FBI have said they are investigating the attack as a hate crime.