Authorities have confirmed the identities of three men killed in an attack on the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday, in what police are investigating as a hate crime. The incident marks the latest apparent hate-motivated violence in the United States.

Mosque board chairman Ahmed Shabaik identified the victims as Mansour Kaziha, a longtime employee; Nader Awad, a community member; and Amin Abdullah, a security guard. Abdullah is credited with engaging the attackers in a gunfight and following lockdown protocols, which likely saved 140 children inside the mosque's school.

The alleged attackers, aged 17 and 18, were found dead at the scene from self-inflicted gunshot wounds. Police had been searching for them for two hours after one of their mothers reported her son was suicidal and had run away. Authorities recovered over 30 guns and a crossbow from the suspects' homes.

Imam Taha Hassane said Awad was a devout community member who prayed daily at the mosque. Kaziha, a Syrian native, had been with the mosque since its construction in the 1980s and was known for cooking during Ramadan. Shabaik described both as pillars of the community.

Police Chief Scott Wahl emphasized that the victims did not die in vain, as their actions delayed the attackers and prevented further casualties. The mosque has seen a rise in hate calls amid elevated Islamophobia linked to the ongoing genocide in Gaza. A fundraising page for the victims raised nearly $500,000 in one day, while another for Abdullah's family topped $2 million.

Source: www.aljazeera.com