Guard died saving worshippers during deadly San Diego mosque shooting
Brave guard protected families during deadly mosque campus attack
Amin Abdullah, a security guard at the Islamic Center of San Diego, is being remembered as a hero after a deadly shooting there on Monday, May 18. Police say Abdullah’s quick actions helped contain the attack near the mosque’s front area and likely saved many lives.
San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl described the security guard’s response as “heroic,” telling reporters that Abdullah played a crucial role in protecting people during the shooting at the mosque and school campus. “Undoubtedly he saved lives today,” Wahl said, his voice heavy with emotion. Officers reached the Islamic Center within four minutes of the first emergency calls and swept through classrooms, prayer halls and nearby buildings searching for attackers and ensuring everyone inside was safe.
The shooting unfolded in a quiet neighborhood of homes, apartments and small businesses, where the white mosque stands beside Middle Eastern markets and restaurants. Two teenagers opened fire at the mosque and killed three men before turning the weapons on themselves a few blocks away, police said. Chief Wahl said the attack is being investigated as a hate crime and that investigators expect more details about the circumstances “in the days ahead.”
For worshippers and families who use the mosque every day, the violence felt at once surreal and deeply personal. children as young as five. When shots rang out, staff and volunteers moved swiftly to protect students, shepherding children away from danger. Aerial footage showed more than a dozen children holding hands as they were led out of the parking lot, surrounded by police vehicles.
Imam Taha Hassane, who directs the center, called the attack “extremely outrageous to target a place of worship.” He and other community leaders have emphasized the mosque’s long record of outreach and interfaith work — a place that routinely opens its doors to neighbors and visitors wanting to learn about Islam. That outreach has made the mosque a familiar presence in the neighborhood, a center not only for prayer but for education and community service.
Neighbors and mosque-goers described Abdullah as steady and kind, a presence people relied on. In the hours after the shooting, stories of his calm courage circulated among mourners and first responders. Officials said he confronted the attackers at or near the mosque’s front area, buying time for others to escape. Though investigators are still clarifying the timeline, Wahl praised Abdullah’s role in containing the situation and preventing further bloodshed.
The grief is immediate and raw. Families who had dropped children at morning classes waited nearby, clutching phones and seeking reassurance. Volunteers and teachers tried to soothe frightened youngsters, while parents were directed to a nearby area to pick up their children. Wahl, visibly moved, told reporters, “All of the kids are safe.
Community organizations also responded quickly. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) condemned the shooting and urged the public to keep the mosque community in their thoughts. Local and state officials, including Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office, said they were being briefed and thanked first responders for their work.
A mother whose son attends the Al Rashid School said she had dropped him off that morning and then received word of the shooting. “You drop your child off thinking they will be learning and safe,” she said. “To hear this… it breaks you.” Such accounts offered a window into how ordinary routines — school runs, prayers, community events — were suddenly punctured by violence.
Investigators said one of the teenagers who carried out the attack was reported missing earlier that morning by his mother, who told police multiple weapons and her vehicle were also missing. She said she had found a note; Wahl did not disclose its contents but said investigators were looking into hate rhetoric tied to the incident as part of a broader probe into motive.
As law enforcement canvassed the area and collected evidence, the mosque and its neighbors tried to make sense of what had happened. was sworn to protect.
“He always said, ‘We are here to keep the place safe,’” a friend recalled. People who once passed the building without much thought now linger, paying respects, exchanging condolences and asking how they can help the families who lost loved ones.
That aspiration — of education, service and openness — is what many in the neighborhood say makes Monday’s violence feel like an attack on their shared civic life, not just a single institution.
In coming days, investigators expect to release more information about the shooters’ motives and any external influences. For now, the mosque and the wider San Diego community are left to grieve, honor the security guard whose bravery likely prevented greater tragedy, and to lean on one another as they begin the long work of healing.