On the morning of May 18, as two teenage gunmen attempted to storm the Islamic Center of San Diego, one man stood between them and mayhem.

Amin Abdullah, one of the three people who died from the attackers’ bullets, was a security guard at San Diego County’s largest mosque. The city’s police commissioner has since described him as a hero whose actions in trying to stop the gunmen likely saved many lives, including children.

“It’s fair to say his actions were heroic,” San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said at a news conference. “Undoubtedly, he saved lives today.”

The author of the article recounts knowing Amin as a colleague from a dental office 20 years ago. Amin was not very good at his job but always greeted everyone with a warm smile.

He was fascinated by men in uniform and would bolt out upon hearing police sirens. When the author attended his father's funeral prayers at the mosque, he was delighted to see Amin fulfilling his dream as a security officer.

Amin was born to an African American Muslim mother. He was as American as one can get and as Muslim as one can be. He lived up to his name, which means “trustworthy,” and died a martyr defending the mosque.

Source: www.aljazeera.com