Victims of San Diego Islamic Center shooting were trying to draw killers away from mosque when they were shot, police reveal

Two of the victims killed in the shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego tried to draw the killers away from the mosque while the third victim, a security guard, “ultimately deterred” the two suspects from entering, police said.

The three men killed at the Islamic Center of San Diego have been identified as Amin Abdullah, Mansour Kaziha and Nadir Awad, representatives of local Muslim organizations said Tuesday.

Kaziha and Awad were trying to lure the two gunmen away from the mosque but were “unfortunately unable to flee,” Police Chief Scott Wahl said during a Tuesday press conference, adding, “Both suspects were able to successfully corner them and kill both of them.”

Abdullah, a father of eight who was working as a security guard, was able to keep the two teenage gunmen from entering the mosque, Wahl said.

“His 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 15 feet of these suspects,” Wahl added.

The police chief praised Abdullah’s heroism, noting he immediately sprang into action after noticing the two suspects, a 17-year-old and 18-year-old who were later found dead from self-inflicted gunshot wounds.

“Individuals that did this heinous act ran past the security guard, most likely not knowing he was there,” Wahl said. “He immediately observed the threat to everybody at the mosque. He began to engage them with gunfire, both suspects returned fire.”

Those who knew Abdullah personally also lauded his efforts. One friend, Abdul Saleem, told KTLA that he made the ultimate sacrifice in saving those lives.

“Whenever he saw the people, he said, ‘There’s something strange. Close the doors,’” Saleem said.

A fundraiser set up for Abdullah’s family also hailed him as a hero, noting that he “put himself between the gunmen and everyone inside.”

“Teachers, staff, and more than a dozen children were walked safely out of that building by police that afternoon, hand in hand. They are alive because Amin did his job,” the fundraiser read.

Abdullah’s friend, Saleem, also knew the two other victims. He said one was a teacher at the center while the other worked at the center’s food store. Authorities have not confirmed any other information about the victims.

The shooting is being investigated as a hate crime. While no specific threat was made against the Islamic center, the police chief said that the suspects engaged in “generalized hate rhetoric.”

Investigators also found anti-Islamic writings inside the suspects’ car, senior law enforcement officials told NBC News.

Authorities were already looking for one of the teens before the shooting, after his mother called police and said that he was suicidal and had run away with the family’s weapons, Wahl said.

The suicide note found at the suspect’s home included writings about racial pride, sources told CNN. There was also hate speech written on one of the firearms used in the attack.

The search became urgent when authorities learned the missing teen was wearing camouflage and had disappeared with a friend, Wahl said.

While searching for the teens, officers received word of a shooting at the center, which is the largest mosque in San Diego County and includes the Al Rashid School.

Police responded within four minutes to the shooting, and arrived as gunshots rang out a few blocks away. The suspects had fired at a landscaper, who was not hit, authorities said.

The two gunmen were later found dead inside a vehicle stopped in the middle of the road nearby, Wahl said.

None of the children at the school were killed. Aerial TV footage showed more than a dozen students holding hands and being escorted away from the school.

Imam Taha Hassane, the mosque’s director, said it was “extremely outrageous to target a place of worship.”

“All the places of worship in our beautiful city should always be protected,” he said.

Wahl, the police chief, said Monday that the center is equipped with security cameras, which authorities will review for evidence.

President Donald Trump on Monday said the shooting was a “terrible situation,” adding, “I’ve been given some early updates, but we’re going to be going back and looking at it very strongly.”

Law enforcement officials in the area said that they were increasing patrols at nearby mosques and other houses of worship out of an abundance of caution.

Officials said there are no known threats, but are urging the public to remain vigilant.