On May 18, 2026, a shooting took place at the Islamic Center of San Diego, the largest mosque in San Diego County, when two teenage gunmen opened fire outside the building.
At around 11:43 a.m., the suspects parked in the mosque’s lot, ran past 51-year-old security guard Amin Abdullah, and opened fire. Abdullah returned fire and immediately used his radio to initiate a lockdown of the entire building.
Even after being shot, Abdullah continued to fire at the attackers. Security footage showed that after he was struck, he reached for his radio and triggered the lockdown protocol, giving everyone inside time to find safety.
At the time, around 140 students and their teachers were inside the school located within the mosque complex. Abdullah’s actions kept the shooters pinned at the front of the building and away from the children.
San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl called Abdullah’s actions heroic, saying they “undoubtedly saved lives.” The mosque described him as the “nicest man you’ll ever meet” and a “devoted father of eight.”
His daughter Hawaa remembered him as her best friend and protector. “My dad was the number one advocate for safety and keeping our community safe. He stood against any form of hate,” she said through tears.
The two suspects, ages 17 and 18, died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Authorities are investigating the attack as a hate crime. Two other men, Mansour Kaziha and Nadir Awad, also lost their lives heroically drawing the shooters away from the mosque.
