Tributes are pouring in for the three victims of Monday’s shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego, with the men being honored as heroes and pillars of the local Muslim community.
Among the victims are a “heroic” security guard, a longtime owner of a store in the Islamic Center and a pious man known for his generosity, community members say.
The victims have been identified as security guard Amin Abdullah; Mansour Kaziha, a community leader who managed the mosque store for nearly 40 years; and Nadir Awad, who “turned away community members from the bullets and saved lives.”
“These three protected children inside the center and school and there is no doubt that the casualties would have been much worse without their heroism,” according to a statement from the Islamic Center of San Diego, CAIR San Diego, the Muslim Leadership Council, the Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans and the Muslim American Society.
The shooting has sent shock waves through the Muslim community in Southern California and around the country, with many calling for an end to what they call a “campaign of hate” from mainstream politicians.
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria called it a “violent act of hate” and urged the city to unite against Islamophobia. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said he was horrified by “an apparent act of anti-Muslim violence.”
Amin Abdullah
Abdullah was fatally shot protecting the lives of more than a dozen children and staff members at a school in the Islamic Center, local officials said.
“He didn’t run. He stood his ground,” CAIR San Diego said in a fundraising campaign. “In plain words: Amin put himself between the gunmen and everyone inside.”
San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl detailed Abdullah’s actions at a news conference Tuesday, saying that before Abdullah was killed, he exchanged gunfire with the suspects and was also able to alert the mosque to go into lockdown.
“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 said.
His daughter, Hawaa, described Abdullah as her best friend, role model and life teacher. He smiled at strangers, always looking for the best in people, Hawaa said during a news conference Tuesday afternoon.
Abdullah was so dedicated to his job, she said, that he would sometimes forgo lunch because he worried something bad could happen in his absence, she said.
“My dad was the No. 1 advocate for safety and keeping our community safe,” Hawaa said, surrounded by relatives. “He stood against any form of hate. He took his job seriously to protect everyone here.”
Imam Taha Hassane remembered Abdullah as someone who always had a smile on his face.
“He wasn’t just a guard. He was the first face of that community to anyone who came through the door — and the last line of defense when it mattered most,” according to the CAIR fundraiser.
More than $2 million has been raised for Abdullah’s family and his funeral expenses.
Mansour Kaziha
Kaziha was a cherished member of the Islamic Center’s community.
“He is the pillar of the Islamic Center of San Diego, has been since 1986 when the community started breaking ground to build the Islamic center,” Hassane said.
Hassane said he called Kaziha for everything and doesn’t know what he’ll do without him.
“Anything that goes wrong, he was the handyman, he was the cook, he was the caretaker, he was the storekeeper, he was everything,” he said.
Kaziha, a native of Syria, was lovingly known by the Arabic nickname “Abu el Ezz,” or father of Ezz, because of his youngest son, Ezzat.
His daughter-in-law Carolina Gaytan said she met him when she visited the store to pick up books about Islam more than 17 years ago.
“Everybody who ever steps foot in the masjid met Abu el Ezz,” Gaytan told NBC News. “He was the most welcoming, most heartwarming person in the world.”
A few years later, Gaytan married Kaziha’s son Ammar. She credited her father-in-law with helping her learn about Islam and guiding her through life.
“He was my dad, you know, by all means he was my dad,” Gaytan said through tears. “He took care of me, and he loved my children, my kids loved him.”
Kaziha leaves behind five sons and 14 grandchildren. Gaytan, her husband and their five children had plans to see him this weekend.
“It’s still a shock. I still don’t know if we fully understand what happened,” she said.
Nadir Awad
Awad lived across the street from the Islamic Center, and his wife was a teacher at the school, Hassane said at a news conference Tuesday.
He said Awad attended prayers at the center every day.
“When he heard the shooting, he rushed to do something, to protect,” Hassane said.
Julia Roach, 47, remembered Nadir Awad for his generosity and kindness, describing him as “a pillar of the community.” Awad’s compassion was on display when he gave Roach’s ex-husband, a recent immigrant at the time, a job driving limos when the couple moved to the area with their infant son in 2012.
It was because of Awad’s help that Roach and her then-husband were able to move into their own apartment.
“He was just an understanding and kind boss, just absolutely, you know, gracious, and, and a family man himself,” Roach said. “It was just a wonderful way for my ex-husband to get to know the Muslim community in San Diego, as well.”
Roach worked at the mosque’s school for about six years before she moved to New York, working directly with Awad’s wife and teaching his children.
“They lived across the street from the mosque, first of all, so they were a deep part of the community,” she said. “I mean, they were always present, and their kids were just lovely human beings, loving, bright, involved with the school and with the community — just a wonderful family.”
Video of the shooting showed that Awad arrived at the mosque while Abdullah was engaged with the shooters, according to the Islamic center. He was hiding out of sight with Kaziha as he spoke with police before the shooters saw him.
Awad and Kaziha were killed while they were chased by the gunmen, the Islamic center said.
“Unfortunately, they sacrificed their lives to protect the entire community inside the Islamic Center of San Diego,” Hassane said.
The center is asking community members to keep the victims and their families in their prayers.
“It’s time for us as the community to stand together firmly, and to support one another, and to be together all the time,” Hassane said. “This is the time where we show our unity, where we show our love for one another.”
