Beloved security guard killed in mosque shooting remembered as a hero

SAN DIEGO, CA – When Mayte Gutierrez saw Amin Abdullah on patrol, she felt safe.

"He was like a hawk," she told USA TODAY, describing the fervent work ethic of Abdullah, a longtime and beloved security guard at the Islamic Center of San Diego. "Even if it was a quiet day, he was on alert and ready if anything happened."

On May 18, Gutierrez's worst fears came true when two gunmen opened fire at the center in what police are investigating as a hate crime. Officials said it was Abdullah who confronted the gunmen and sacrificed his own life to protect worshipers, staff and school children at the mosque.

"His actions were heroic,” San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said at a news conference. “Undoubtedly, he saved lives.”

Abdullah, a father of eight, was one of three men killed in the attack. The suspected gunmen, ages 17 and 19, were found dead of what police described as self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Authorities have not identified the suspects as of May 19.

A fundraiser for Abdullah's family organized by the Islamic center and the Council on American-Islamic Relations amassed more than $1.9 million in donations. The campaign mourns him as a "San Diego Martyr."

Imam Taha Hassane, the director of the Islamic center, told reporters that Abdullah's bravery saved as many as 140 children at the mosque's school.

“If he didn’t do what he did and sacrifice his life, the two suspects would have easy access to every single classroom," Hassane said. "We’re so proud of him.”

Amin Abdullah initiated lockdown protocol, police say

Shortly before noon on May 18, the two gunman rushed past the security checkpoint at the mosque, Wahl said. Abdullah didn't hesitate to act, authorities said, and began shooting at the suspects before they returned fire.

While in the midst of a gun-battle, Abdullah grabbed his radio and and told teachers to lock their doors. Wahl said Abdullah continued firing at the suspects before he was shot and killed outside the mosque.

As the firing unfolded nearby, teachers in the building scrambled to get children into hiding places. By the time the shooters reentered the building, the rooms they walked into were completely empty, the police chief said.

Two other men, Nadir Awad and Mansour Kaziha, were shot and killed outside the building before the two suspects fled the scene, police said.

'A true hero'

Abdullah became a security guard in 2019 after the attack of two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, that killed 51 people, said Asim Billoo, the former head of the Islamic center's youth group.

After he was hired at the center, he became a fixture at San Diego's largest mosque. Gutierrez met Abdullah while she worked as an administrator at the school. The pair bonded quickly over their similar conversions to Islam.

"He greeted everyone who would come into the center," Gutierrez, 34, remembered. "He was loved by the students and the teachers."

Sam Hamideh, whose son attends school at the mosque, said Abdullah always had a smile on his face and would run to open the door for students in the morning.

"He just had that kind of heart," Hamideh, 47, told USA TODAY.

During his time off, Abdullah often went to the gun range or honed his archery skills. On his Facebook page, he posted videos of himself firing arrows at targets in his backyard. Gutierrez said he would often talk about his love of archery and the latest bow-and-arrow he made by hand.

His ability to stand on his feet for whole shifts was a source of amazement for Gutierrez and other staffers.

"You'd never see him sitting down or on his phone," she said.

Gutierrez, who stopped working at the center in 2020 before moving to Texas, said she had been planning to move back to San Diego in recent months. One of the people she most looked forward to seeing was Abdullah.

"It's heartbreaking," she said, speaking about the shooting. She said she wasn't surprised to hear that Abdullah had rushed to protect the schoolchildren.

"He is a true hero," she said.

Christopher Cann is a national news reporter for USA TODAY. He can be reached at [email protected].

(This story was updated to add new information from law enforcement officials.)