3 victims killed in San Diego Islamic center attack identified

SAN DIEGO - As the investigation into Monday's deadly shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego continues, the three slain victims were praised for actions and heroism that local Muslim leaders said saved lives.

The men were identified Tuesday as Mansour Kaziha, Nader Awad and Amin Abdullah by the local chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR.

"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," San Diego CAIR officials said.

Kaziha was a grandfather "lovingly known as Abu Ezz," and he had managed the mosque store for nearly 40 years, CAIR officials said.

Awad, they said, "turned away community members from the bullets and saved lives."

Abdullah was a security guard who the leadership said "risked his own life" to alert people in the center, including an attached primary school. "He is the definition of a hero who bravely made the ultimate sacrifice to save others over himself."

"The Islamic Center is the largest religious gathering space for Muslims in San Diego since its founding nearly 40 years ago," CAIR officials said. "It is also home to a school and as a result of this horrific attack, hundreds of children are now traumatized, along with the community at large who fear for the safety of their families."

"Unfortunately, this was not the first threat against the mosque and school," officials added. "Yesterday those threats turned deadly."

Meanwhile Tuesday, police continued to investigate the attack, including gathering evidence at the mosque, where the three men were shot, and serving search warrants at locations connected to the two teenage suspects.

Two hours before the attack Monday, the mother of one of the suspects reported to police that her 17-year-old son had gone missing, that he was possibly suicidal and that he'd taken her vehicle and guns. He was with an 18-year-old companion, and the two were wearing camouflage, according to police.

Police, sensing a larger public threat, tried to track down the teens. Then the reports of a shooting came in at the Islamic center at 11:43 a.m.

Police found the three victims dead outside the building.

The teens, who had fled by then in a BMW, then opened fire on a landscaper a few blocks away, police said. He was not injured.

Soon after, another 911 call came in. The BMW was found in the middle of the street, less than a mile from the center, and the two teens were found dead inside with apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds, authorities said. Police have not yet released their names.

San Diego police and the FBI are investigating the attack as a hate crime. Generalized hate rhetoric was involved, although police have declined to elaborate further.

Muslim leaders were expected to speak further about the victims and the attack at a news conference later Tuesday afternoon.

An interfaith candlelight vigil is also planned at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Lindbergh Park adjacent to the Islamic center.

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