A security guard killed during a shooting at an Islamic Center in San Diego on Monday deliberately confronted the attackers, buying crucial time that police say prevented a far deadlier assault on worshippers and children inside.
Amin Abdullah, 51, was one of three men shot and killed when two teenagers opened fire at the Islamic Center of San Diego. The attackers, aged 17 and 18, were found dead in a nearby car from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds.
Police Chief Scott Wahl detailed Abdullah's actions at a news conference Tuesday, crediting him with disrupting the gunmen's movement through the facility. When the two shooters entered, Abdullah immediately recognized the threat and engaged them with gunfire. As the exchange escalated, he reached for his radio and activated 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," Wahl said. The chief noted that as many as 140 children were sheltering within 15 feet of where the suspects were contained.
Abdullah died in the gunfire exchange, but his intervention proved decisive. "Without distracting the attention, without delaying the actions of these two individuals, without question, there would have been many more fatalities," Wahl said.
The other two victims were identified as Mansour Kaziha, 78, a mosque elder and founding member, and Nadir Awad, 57, who lived across the street from the center and whose wife taught at the center's school. Both men drew the shooters' attention and moved them into the parking lot, where they were killed.
Imam Taha Hassane, director of the Islamic Center, called all three men "our martyrs and our heroes." He described Abdullah as "a lovely person" who always maintained a smile for others. "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 said.
Kaziha was the first to call 911 and was remembered as the "pillar" of the mosque, while Awad, described as a devoted neighbor, responded immediately upon hearing the gunfire.
Abdullah's daughter, Hawaa Abdullah, remembered her father as "a loving father, husband, son, brother and uncle" and "a role model." She emphasized his unwavering commitment to community safety and his stance against hatred.
FBI Special Agent Mark Brimley said the gunmen "appear to have been radicalized online to believe that they didnât belong because of how they looked or where they worshipped." Authorities are investigating the shooting as a hate crime.
Author James Rodriguez: "Abdullah's quick thinking and willingness to engage an active threat saved countless lives, but the cost was ultimate, and that sacrifice deserves to be remembered."
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