San Diego mosque victims gave their lives to save children, staff : NPR

Key Points:

• Mansour Kaziha, Nadir Awad, and Amin Abdullah were mosque community members at the Islamic Center of San Diego who died heroically during a recent attack, preventing gunmen from reaching children and staff inside.
• Amin Abdullah, a dedicated security guard, was known for his vigilance and protective nature, inspired in part by the 2019 New Zealand mosque shooting; his actions saved many lives at the cost of his own.
• Mansour Kaziha was a longtime fixture at the mosque, beloved for his kindness and community support, including feeding worshippers during Ramadan, while Nadir Awad was known for his cheerful personality and immediate response to the shooting.
• Threats against the mosque have increased since the Hamas-led attack on Israel in October 2023, prompting the Islamic Center to enhance security measures, including arming officers and conducting active shooter drills.
• The FBI is investigating the attack, describing the suspects as teenagers motivated by broad racial and religious hatred, while community leaders call for increased police presence and vigilance to prevent future violence.