A security guard and two worshippers were killed Monday in a shooting outside the Islamic Center of San Diego. Authorities have credited the security guard's swift, heroic response with preventing a significantly higher loss of life, including protecting 140 children at an adjacent school.

The shooter's targets were identified as:

• Amin Abdullah, a father of eight who had served as the mosque’s security guard for over a decade.

• Mansour Kaziha, a volunteer who helped maintain the mosque grounds and convenience store.

• Nader Awad, a regular worshipper whose wife teaches at the center's school.

"It’s fair to say his actions were heroic," San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl stated during a press conference. "Undoubtedly, he saved lives today."

Details of the Incident

The incident began late Monday morning after the mother of one of the suspects contacted law enforcement to report that her son had run away with a friend and was potentially suicidal.

While officers were searching for the missing teenagers, the two suspects opened fire outside the Islamic Center of San Diego around noon. According to police reports:

• As the suspects bypassed the entrance, Abdullah engaged them and drew his firearm, initiating a return of gunfire.

• Abdullah immediately enacted emergency lockdown procedures, securing the facility and the school inside the complex.

• The suspects then engaged Kaziha and Awad in the parking lot, fatally wounding both men.

Chief Wahl noted that the immediate resistance and lockdown protocols initiated by Abdullah "undoubtedly" forced the suspects to flee the scene. Shorty afterward, police discovered the two suspects—aged 17 and 18—dead from self-inflicted gunshot wounds inside a vehicle located a few blocks away.

Investigation and Evidence

The shooting is currently being investigated as a federal hate crime. Mark Remily, FBI Special Agent in Charge, confirmed that investigators recovered a manifesto and other writings outlining various religious and racial ideologies.

"These subjects did not discriminate on who they hated," Remily said, though he noted it remains unclear if the mosque or the school were pre-selected, specific targets.

A search of three residences connected to the suspects yielded a large cache of weapons, including:

• More than 30 firearms (comprising pistols, rifles, and shotguns)

• A crossbow

Authorities confirmed that the seized firearms were legally registered to the parents of one of the suspects.

Community and National Reaction

The local community has rallied to support the victims' families, with an online fundraiser raising over $2.9 million by Tuesday afternoon. At a community vigil, Abdullah’s daughter, Hawa Abdullah, spoke on behalf of her family, stating that her father "would want our community to stand together as one... regardless of who we are, what we identify as."

Representatives from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-SD) praised the victims and urged elected officials to maintain responsible public discourse regarding religious communities. San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria echoed these sentiments, stating that the suspects "do not represent our city, these three Muslim men do."

Speaking from the White House, Vice President JD Vance condemned the attack, calling it "reprehensible" and emphasizing that political and targeted violence has no place in the United States. Vance noted a personal connection to the area, mentioning that his wife, Usha Vance, grew up in San Diego and that their family frequently visits the neighborhood.