{"id":2058,"date":"2026-05-20T14:43:37","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T14:43:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usglobalnews.com\/2026\/05\/20\/he-sacrificed-his-life-security-guard-killed-in-san-diego-mosque-attack-hailed-as-hero\/"},"modified":"2026-05-20T14:43:37","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T14:43:37","slug":"he-sacrificed-his-life-security-guard-killed-in-san-diego-mosque-attack-hailed-as-hero","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/?p=2058","title":{"rendered":"\u2018He sacrificed his life\u2019: security guard killed in San Diego mosque attack hailed as hero"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"border-color:var(--article-border);background-color:var(--article-inner-background)\" class=\"dcr-wqti5a\">\n<div class=\"dcr-2zxs1v\">\n<div style=\"--grid-area:media\" data-gu-name=\"media\" class=\"dcr-1fnjjtg\">\n<div class=\"dcr-14emo0l\">\n<div class=\"dcr-tr9ye5\">\n<figure id=\"5c319845-251e-43d1-87e6-30ce697f793f\" class=\"dcr-142siv7\">\n<div id=\"img-1\" class=\"dcr-1t8m8f2\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"two women cry outside a security office at a mosque\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/cf72cf4d9150f0a975b634d503bf984575b0b02a\/0_0_6000_4000\/master\/6000.jpg?width=465&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"465\" height=\"310\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"dcr-evn1e9\"><span class=\"dcr-v822l1\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-gup2gr\">\n<div class=\"dcr-fntg6k\"><label for=\"the-checkbox\" class=\"dcr-1xgwz8b\"><\/label> <\/p>\n<div id=\"the-caption\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1os51wo\"><span class=\"dcr-hvsf4t\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Mourners react by the security office at the Islamic Center of San Diego, which was used by security guard Amin Abdullah who was fatally shot.<\/span> Photograph: Mike Blake\/Reuters<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><a href=\"#img-1\" data-ignore=\"global-link-styling\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-13fd1ms\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><button data-element-id=\"5c319845-251e-43d1-87e6-30ce697f793f\" type=\"button\" class=\"open-lightbox dcr-4tmywn\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\"><span class=\"dcr-194i6pr\">View image in fullscreen<\/span><\/button><\/a><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"dcr-n4pnam\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1hdkqum\"><span class=\"dcr-hvsf4t\"><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Mourners react by the security office at the Islamic Center of San Diego, which was used by security guard Amin Abdullah who was fatally shot.<\/span> Photograph: Mike Blake\/Reuters<\/figcaption><\/span><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:border\" data-gu-name=\"border\" class=\"dcr-1fnjjtg\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:headline\" data-gu-name=\"headline\" class=\"dcr-1fnjjtg\">\n<div class=\"dcr-14emo0l\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1aqe7zu\">\n<h1 class=\"dcr-1k1a1x\">\u2018He sacrificed his life\u2019: security guard killed in San Diego mosque attack hailed as hero<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:standfirst\" data-gu-name=\"standfirst\" class=\"dcr-1fnjjtg\">\n<div class=\"dcr-15in7js\">\n<p>Amin Abdullah, 51, was one of the three victims of deadly shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:body\" data-gu-name=\"body\" class=\"dcr-kn9unn\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1a4fred\">\n<div id=\"maincontent\" class=\"dcr-ydnaza\">\n<div class=\"article-body-commercial-selector article-body-viewer-selector dcr-1c9t5u6\">\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">A security guard who was killed during the shooting at a San Diego mosque on Monday is being hailed as a hero after police said that his actions <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbs8.com\/article\/news\/local\/san-diego-islamic-center-shooting-updates\/509-456fcb8a-810a-42de-876d-b902c6934f48\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">\u201cundoubtedly\u201d<\/a> saved lives.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">On Monday, two <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/may\/18\/active-shooter-report-san-diego-islamic-center\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">teenagers opened<\/a> fire at the Islamic Center of San Diego, California, shooting and killing three men. The two attackers, aged 17 and 18, were found dead several blocks away, from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds, officials said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Among those killed was 51-year-old Amin Abdullah, a security guard at the center.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"a8dde6c6-ca50-4b14-a73e-85d777ca91f9\" data-spacefinder-role=\"richLink\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement\" class=\"dcr-47fhrn\">\n<div data-print-layout=\"hide\" data-link-name=\"rich-link-3 | 3\" data-component=\"rich-link\" data-name=\"placeholder\" class=\"dcr-1kyw41h\">\n<div data-format-theme=\"5\" data-format-design=\"0\" data-format-display=\"0\" class=\"dcr-1bg5532\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/may\/19\/san-diego-mosque-shooting-reaction\" class=\"dcr-1m887w9\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-ut4tvs\">\n<div class=\"dcr-1h5b6rb\">\n<div class=\"dcr-169d7yv\">\u2018It doesn\u2019t feel real\u2019: witnesses describe shock and disbelief after San Diego mosque attack<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dcr-eurq8n\">\n<div class=\"dcr-fkf7vq\">Read more<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Speaking at a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=W9ivWIz7AMA\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">news<\/a> conference on Tuesday, Scott Wahl, San Diego\u2019s police chief, said that the two shootersran past Abdullah, and that Abdullah \u201cimmediately observed the threat to everybody at the mosque\u201d and \u201cbegan to engage them with gunfire\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cBoth suspects returned fire,\u201d Wahl said, adding that in the midst of the \u201cgun battle\u201d Abdullah reached for his radio, and \u201cput out the lockdown protocol\u201d for the center.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cHis 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 15ft of these suspects,\u201d Wahl said. \u201cTragically, he died in that gun battle.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">The two other victims were <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sandiego.gov\/activeshooter\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">identified<\/a> 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\u2019s school.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">On Tuesday, Wahl said that Kaziha and Awad drew the attention of the attackers and drew them \u201cback out into the parking lot area\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Kaziha, Wahl said, was the first one who called 911.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">In the parking lot, the two men \u201cwere unfortunately unable to flee\u201d, police said, and the attackers cornered and killed them. Both suspects fled the scene and were found dead in a car nearby.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cI want to be very clear, all three of our victims did not die in vain,\u201d Wahl said. \u201cWithout distracting the attention, without delaying the actions of these two individuals, without question, there would have been many more fatalities.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">At the news conference, the director of the Islamic Center of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/san-diego\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">San Diego<\/a>, Imam Taha Hassane, described the three victims as \u201cbrothers in the community\u201d and called them \u201cour martyrs and our heroes\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">He said Abdullah was \u201csuch a lovely person\u201d who \u201cnever stopped smiling to anyone\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cIf it was not for him, as chief mentioned, the carnage would be much worse,\u201d Hassane said. \u201cHe\u2019s the one who stopped them, who slowed them down. If he didn\u2019t do what he did and he sacrificed his life, the two suspects would have easily access to every single classroom.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Hassane described Kaziha as the \u201cpillar\u201d of the Islamic Center. \u201cI have never done anything without him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Awad, who he described as a neighbor, \u201crushed to do something\u201d after he heard the gunfire.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cMy community is mourning,\u201d Hassane said. \u201cMy community is keeping our three heroes in their prayers.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Mark Brimley, special agent in charge of the FBI\u2019s San Diego field office, said on Tuesday that the victims were \u201cthere to help others be part of a community that came together in peace\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cInstead, they were confronted by teenagers who appear to have been radicalized online to believe that they didn\u2019t belong because of how they looked or where they worshipped,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">At a separate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=7ZlobSZrEJo\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">news conference<\/a> on Tuesday, Abdullah\u2019s daughter, Hawaa Abdullah, remembered her father as \u201ca loving father, husband, son, brother and uncle\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">\u201cTo me, my dad was a role model,\u201d she said. \u201cHe was a best friend, the 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.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-130mj7b\">Police and FBI have said that they are investigating the attack as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/may\/19\/san-diego-mosque-shooting-reaction\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">hate crime<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-print-layout=\"hide\" class=\"dcr-qxqnsy\"><span class=\"dcr-1rq3vad\">Explore more on these topics<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-1dzx48f\">\n<ul class=\"dcr-1rrvs2w\">\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/san-diego-mosque-shooting\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">San Diego mosque shooting<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/san-diego\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">San Diego<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/california\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">California<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/us-news\/west-coast\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">West Coast<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/world\/gun-crime\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">Gun crime<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-hj8byr\"><a href=\"\/tone\/news\" class=\"dcr-1gwziyt\">news<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"dcr-nu129i\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=%E2%80%98He%20sacrificed%20his%20life%E2%80%99:%20security%20guard%20killed%20in%20San%20Diego%20mosque%20attack%20hailed%20as%20hero&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/2026\/may\/20\/security-guard-san-diego-mosque-attack?CMP=share_btn_url\" class=\"dcr-125qj9d\">Share<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-zhx6xs\"><a data-link-name=\"meta-syndication-article\" href=\"https:\/\/syndication.theguardian.com\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fus-news%2F2026%2Fmay%2F20%2Fsecurity-guard-san-diego-mosque-attack&amp;type=article&amp;internalpagecode=us-news\/2026\/may\/20\/security-guard-san-diego-mosque-attack\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer\" title=\"Reuse this content\" class=\"dcr-14rjinq\">Reuse this content<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"--grid-area:right-column\" data-gu-name=\"right-column\" class=\"dcr-1h2hraq\">\n<div class=\"dcr-tn16h9\">\n<section class=\"dcr-1hko8ef\"><\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mourners react by the security office at the Islamic Center of San Diego, which was used by security<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":2060,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2058","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-world-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2058","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2058"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2058\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/2060"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2058"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2058"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.usglobalnews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2058"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}