Community grieves beloved San Diego mosque security guard killed on the job

LOS ANGELES (AP) — One of the three people killed by two teen shooters at a San Diego mosque was a beloved security guard who acted quickly to prevent more deaths, authorities and community members said.

Amin Abdullah was a security guard who greeted everyone that arrived at the Islamic Center of San Diego with a smile and the traditional Muslim greeting in Arabic of as-salamu alaikum or “peace be upon you,” according to Mahmood Ahmadi, a longtime attendee of the mosque.

Authorities have not released the names of the three victims. But family friend Shaykh Uthman Ibn Farooq identified Abdullah, saying he had spoken with one of Abdullah’s sons as the family began to make funeral plans.

“He wanted to defend the innocent so he decided to become a security guard,” Farooq said.

Abdullah had worked at the mosque for more than a decade. He was there nearly every single day and was dedicated to his wife and nine kids, Farooq said.

San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said a mosque security guard, without naming Abdullah, “played a pivotal role” in preventing the attack from being more deadly.

“It’s fair to say his actions were heroic,” the chief said Monday. “Undoubtedly he saved lives today.”

The Islamic Center of San Diego is one of the largest mosques in San Diego and attracts thousands of people from across the region during major holidays. In addition to having prayer five times a day, it also provides dinners and breakfasts during the Ramadan fasting period, hosts a school for Arabic and Islamic studies, and has a store inside.

Abdullah was raised Christian and described in a 2019 YouTube video his journey discovering the Islamic faith after graduating high school.

“My mother saw a change in me,” he said. “I’m starting to help out around the house, being more respectful, I got a job.”

Farooq said he met Abdullah shortly after he became a Muslim in the 1990s. Most recently, they had gone on a pilgrimage trip to Mecca together. Abdullah always had a positive attitude, even when he fell sick during the trip, Farooq said.

“Even when he was feeling ill, he was just a very light-hearted, genuine person, always smiling, always taking care of others,” Farooq said.

Josie-Ana Edenshaw still recalls meeting Abdullah her first time visiting the mosque. She was stressed and couldn’t figure out where to park, when he waved her down to help.

Edenshaw said the community was heartbroken by Abdullah’s death. In a WhatsApp group of congregants, a teacher who was at the school during the shooting described how Abdullah called in “active shooter” on his walkie-talkie when he saw the shooters, warning the staff members and teachers inside. The teacher was not available for an interview.

“Every single day those kids had that amazing security guard that protected them,” Edenshaw said. “That’s something that’s going to impact them every single day for the rest of their life.”

Abbos Rakhmatov, who has attended the mosque for three years, was shaken after being there in the morning just before the shooting happened. He said Abdullah took his duties seriously, always walking around and checking the grounds.

“He was the model for everyone of us,” said Rakhmatov. “Always smiling, always caring about our community.”