‘He sacrificed his life’: security guard killed in San Diego mosque attack hailed as hero | San Diego mosque shooting

A security guard killed during an attack on a San Diego mosque on Monday has been hailed as a hero after police actions were declared “heroic”. “no doubt” saved lives.

On Monday, two teenagers opened fire at the Islamic Center of San Diego, California, shooting and killing three people. The two attackers, ages 17 and 18, were found dead several blocks away from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds, authorities said.

Among the dead was 51-year-old Amin Abdullah, a security guard at the center and father of eight children.

a speech news At a conference Tuesday, San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said the two shooters He said he ran past Abdullah and that Abdullah “immediately recognized the threat to everyone in the mosque” and “started shooting at them.”

“Both suspects returned fire,” Wahl said, adding that in the middle of the “gunfight,” Abdullah reached for his radio and “broadcast the lockdown protocol” for the center.

“It undoubtedly delayed the actions, distracted them, and ultimately deterred these two individuals from gaining access to larger areas of the mosque where as many as 140 children were located within 15 feet of the suspects,” Wahl said. “Tragically he died in that gunfight.”

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

On Tuesday, Wahl said Kaziha and Awad caught the attackers’ attention and “pulled them back to the parking lot.”

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

Police said the two men in the car park “unfortunately were unable to escape” and the attackers cornered and killed them. Both suspects were found dead in a nearby car as they fled the scene.

“I want to be very clear, all three of our victims did not die in vain,” Wahl said. “If it had not been a distraction, if it had not delayed the actions of these two individuals, there would undoubtedly have been many more deaths.”

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

He said Abdullah was “a very lovely person” who “never stopped smiling at anyone.”

“As the Chief said, if it wasn’t for him, the massacre would have been much worse,” Hassane said. “He was the one who stopped them, slowed them down. If he hadn’t done what he did and sacrificed his life, the two suspects could have easily accessed every classroom.”

Hassane described Kaziha as the “pillar” of the Islamic Center, serving as a mechanic, doorman, shopkeeper and cook for the past 40 years. “I didn’t do anything without him.”

Awad, whom he described as his neighbor, “ran to do something” after hearing the gunshots.

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

Hassane said the Islamic Center was shocked by the violence. “We’re used to getting hate mail, hate messages, people driving by and swearing,” he said. “But such a terrible crime, we never expected it.”

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

“Instead, they were faced with young people who appeared to have been radicalized online, believing they did not belong because of their appearance or where they worshiped,” he said.

Separately press conference On Tuesday, Abdullah’s daughter, Hawaa Abdullah, remembered her father as “a loving father, husband, son, brother and uncle.”

“For me, my father was a role model,” he said. “He was the best friend, the best, best father in the world. He was my protector.”

He continued: “My father was the number one advocate for safety and keeping our communities safe. He opposed all forms of hate.”

He said he takes his job seriously and often wants to save his meals for after work because he’s afraid something bad will happen while he’s on vacation.

His friend, Khalid Alexander, told The Associated Press that Abdullah was aware of the dangers of his job but was proud of his role protecting the Islamic Center community. “This was his dream job,” Alexander said.

At the vigil Tuesday evening, Kaziha’s son, Yaser Kaziha, said his father was the pillar of the community and “our home.”

“It taught us to be prepared for challenges and to overcome challenges to fulfill our own personal goals,” he said.

The fundraiser to support the families of the three men raised nearly $3 million.

Police and the FBI announced that they were investigating the attack as a hate crime.

Wahl said Tuesday that residents can expect to see a “visible presence” of law enforcement outside houses of worship throughout the county in the coming days.