Amongst the three people killed in the shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego was a security guard, Amin Abdullah, who is believed to have taken action that minimized the carnage, according to San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl.
Authorities say the attack unfolded outside the mosque in San Diego’s Clairemont neighborhood, where Abdullah was working security when gunfire erupted.
Wahl said, “We do believe the security guard was able to help at least minimize the situation to the front area of the mosque.”
Wahl stated that it seems the guard acted quickly; however, investigators haven’t yet sorted through all the information.
“I think it’s fair to say that his actions were heroic at this point,” Wahl remarked. “Undoubtedly, he saved lives today.”
Read more: Who were Cain Clark and Caleb Vazquez? Islamic Center of San Diego shooting suspects identified
Community remembers Amin Abdullah
Amin Abdullah is being remembered by community members whose final moments were spent trying to shield worshippers from gunfire during one of the most disturbing attacks to hit the city’s Muslim community.
Omar Suleiman, founder of the non-profit organisation Yaqeen Institute, said that Amin Abdullah was “instrumental” in limiting the carnage at the mosque today.
He shared the final post Amin Abduallah made on Facbeook with the caption, “Brother Amin Abdullah was the guard at the mosque in San Diego for years. He was instrumental in stopping the shooters from reaching the children today. This was his final post on FB. On these holiest days, may Allah have mercy on him and accept him as a martyr. Ameen”
The Asian Law Caucus, one of the nation’s oldest civil rights organizations focused on Asian American and Muslim communities, condemned the violence and urged authorities to fully investigate possible hate-crime elements tied to the attack. The group also called for stronger protections for religious institutions increasingly facing threats across the United States.
The organization also started a fundraiser for Amin Abdullah’s family. The description reads, “Amin was the security guard at the Islamic Center of San Diego. Police say his actions kept Monday’s attack from being far worse. Remember his legacy with us!”
The fundraiser on LaunchGood has collected $$657,685 at the time of reporting.
Read more: San Diego mosque shooting suspect was Madison High School student; mother’s alarming 911 call about missing guns emerges
The shooting is being investigated as a hate crime
A suicide note shared by the mother of one of the suspects had language that the authorities described as “general hate speech.”
The suspect’s mother said that “several of her weapons” and her car were missing, and she feared her son was suicidal.
Wahl did not reveal any other details on the contents of the suicide note, however, he said that they are investigating the shooting as a hate crime and that “hate rhetoric” was involved.
Police said the suspects, Cain Clark, 17, and Caleb Vazquez, 18, believe the suspects died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds after they were discovered dead in a car a few blocks from the Islamic Center.
Wahl stated that after the mother reported that her son had fled, officers who spoke with her earlier in the morning thought “there was a bigger threat picture here that we needed to consider.”
