Amin Abdullah came to work at the Islamic Center of San Diego on May 18, 2026, like he always did — greeting families, helping children, and smiling at everyone who walked through the doors.
That morning, before the attack began, he gave one final message to a parent.
“Say hello to Sam,” he told a friend’s wife during school drop-off.
Later, Sam Hamideh would realize it felt like a goodbye.
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Moments later, two gunmen opened fire outside the mosque and attached school, where young children were inside attending classes. Police say Abdullah, a father of eight and the mosque’s security guard, helped stop the attackers from reaching the children.
“I know that he knew he was sacrificing his life for the kids,” Hamideh said. “Because if he didn’t take that bullet, they would easily walk up the stairs.”
When officers arrived, Abdullah was among three victims killed outside the mosque. Teachers and children were safely evacuated soon after.
San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl called Abdullah’s actions heroic.
“His actions were heroic, he saved lives today,” Wahl said.
Friends described Abdullah as warm, energetic, and deeply kind — the type of man who greeted every visitor with a smile and treated everyone like family.
Authorities identified the suspects as 17-year-old Cain Clark and 18-year-old Caleb Vazquez. Police said both died from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds after the attack. Investigators are treating the shooting as a possible hate crime after discovering hateful writings connected to the suspects.
Police also revealed Clark’s mother had contacted authorities hours earlier, reporting her son missing along with several firearms and warning that he might be suicidal.
Abdullah’s death left behind his wife, eight children, and a grieving community. A fundraiser organized by local Muslim organizations quickly raised more than $1.7 million to support his family, funeral costs, counseling, and his children’s future.
The campaign described him simply as a man who stood between gunmen and children.
“You do not have to share Amin’s faith to stand with his family,” the fundraiser said. “You only have to believe that a man who died shielding children would be proud to know that his own children will be cared for.”
