San Diego Mosque Security Guard Hailed As Hero After Death: 'Wanted To Defend The Innocent'

Chaotic scenes unfolded at a mosque in San Diego, California, after two teenage gunmen opened fire, killing three people. Among them was Amin Abdullah, a security guard and the father of eight, who is now being hailed as a hero for his courageous efforts to save lives.

San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said the shooting occurred shortly before noon local time at the Islamic Centre in the Clairemont area, the largest mosque in San Diego County near the US-Mexico border.

The deceased security guard was identified as Amin Abdullah, the spokeswoman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations-San Diego (CAIR-SD), Tazheen Nizam, told the BBC. Authorities said Abdullah’s heroic efforts saved lives in the attack.

“It’s fair to say his actions were heroic.

Undoubtedly, he saved lives today,” Wahl said at a news conference on Monday. People who knew Abdullah said he looked after the community, with some describing him as the “nicest man you’ll ever meet.”

People also raised $1 million to help his family on the Launch Good platform after his tragic death at the hands of the teenage gunmen. The mosque called him “a courageous man who put himself on the line of the safety of others.”

‘Wanted To Defend The Innocent’

A family friend told the Associated Press that Abdullah had worked at the mosque for more than a decade. “He wanted to defend the innocent so he decided to become a security guard,” said Shaykh Uthman Ibn Farooq, who spoke with Abdullah’s son.

Police later discovered the bodies of two male suspects, aged 17 and 19, inside a vehicle on a nearby street. Investigators believe both died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Authorities said all children attending a day school housed within the Islamic Centre were accounted for and safe following the incident.

There was no specific threat made against the Islamic centre, but authorities found evidence that the suspects engaged in “generalised hate rhetoric”, according to Wahl.

Television footage showed heavily armed police surrounding the mosque, with tactical teams positioned around the complex. US President Donald Trump called the shooting a “terrible situation.”