When the gunfire started at San Diego County’s largest mosque, Amin Abdullah was the man at the door.
On the morning of May 18, two teenage gunmen tried to storm the Islamic Center of San Diego. Abdullah, a security guard at the mosque, was one of three people killed by the attackers’ bullets.
San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said Abdullah’s actions likely saved many lives, including children.
“It’s fair to say his actions were heroic,” Mr Wahl said at a news conference. “Undoubtedly, he saved lives today.”
One man who knew Abdullah said that did not surprise him.
“It doesn’t surprise me at all that he gave his life shielding others from gunfire. He was a true American Muslim,” Kashif said.
Kashif said he knew Abdullah as a former colleague and as “a man who wanted to protect others”.
The two had worked together at a dental office, where Kashif was Abdullah’s manager.
“I was his manager, and he was not very good at his dental job. But it’s hard to fire someone who always greets you warmly with a big smile. So he continued working,” he said.
Kashif said Abdullah was always fascinated by men in uniform.
“He would bolt out of the dental office as soon as he heard the siren of the police cars whizzing by,” he said.
Kashif said he had not seen Abdullah for about 20 years until last December, when he went to the Islamic Center of San Diego for his father’s funeral prayers.
He said he was struck by the presence of a heavily armed security guard at the door, something he had not seen there before.
Then Abdullah recognised him.
“The face of the security guard looked familiar. Then, as I got closer, the guard yelled ‘KASHIF BHAI!!!’, and then I saw the familiar big smile of Amin,” he said.
Kashif said the two shared laughs and a quick catch-up that day.
“It was such a delight to see him fulfil his lifelong dream of being a security officer,” he said.
He said that was their last meeting.
“Yesterday, he was martyred defending the mosque,” Kashif said.
“Amin, which means ‘trustworthy’, lived up to his name and died doing what he loved.”
Kashif described Abdullah as “born a Muslim to an African American mother”.
“He was as American as one can get. He was also as Muslim as one can be.”
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