Chicago – May 20, 2026
The three people killed by two teen shooters at a San Diego mosque were beloved pillars of the community, and died while saving roughly 140 children who were in the building at the time of the attack, authorities said Tuesday.
All three men were shot while trying to delay and distract the two gunmen who barged into the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday, San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said.
The Imam of the Islamic Center of San Diego, Taha Hassane, identified the three victims as Amin Abdullah, 51, Nadir Awad, 57, and Mansour Kaziha, 78, who was known as Abu Ezz.
“We call them our brothers in the community. We call them our martyrs and our heroes,” said Hassane.
According to police, the two teenage shooters entered the mosque and initially passed security guard Amin Abdullah without noticing him. Abdullah, who had worked security there for about a decade, confronted them almost immediately and exchanged gunfire while using his radio to order a lockdown.
Authorities said his actions forced the attackers back toward the parking lot, giving worshippers and children inside the mosque’s school time to shelter. Abdullah was wounded during the exchange and was later fatally shot outside. San Diego police credited him with preventing a much larger loss of life and described his actions as heroic.
Authorities said the two gunmen re-entered the mosque after being pushed back by security guard Amin Abdullah and searched through rooms that had already been emptied during the lockdown. Police said the quick response by mosque staff and worshippers helped prevent the attackers from finding more victims inside.
Outside in the parking lot, mosque members Kaziha and Awad confronted the shooters. Before being fatally shot, Kaziha managed to call 911, helping emergency responders arrive quickly at the scene.
San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl praised the bravery of the three men, saying their actions distracted and delayed the attackers long enough to save many lives. “All three of our victims did not die in vain,” Wahl said, adding that without their intervention, there would likely have been many more fatalities.
