Newsletter: Grief at the Islamic Center of San Diego and across the county following hate-fueled attack
Plus, low- and no-cost options for mental health support.
Greetings everyone, buenas and bom dia,
This week, we are grieving. San Diego is grieving.
Two teenagers waged an armed attack on the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday before taking their own lives. It was both an assault on a place of worship and a school shooting.
Among the dead is a beloved security guard from the Islamic Center of San Diego identified as Amin Abdullah. The assailants also killed Mansour Kaziha, who had attended the mosque for 40 years and helped at its store and as a handyman, among other duties, and Nadir Awad, a neighbor whose wife taught at the school there.
The three men died protecting the other people present at the Islamic Center, including dozens of children.
On Tuesday afternoon, we heard from Muslim community leaders about their grief, their anger and their resolve. That night, the community held a vigil to remember the three people killed. The funeral for the three men is today.
Last year, I attended a conference at the Islamic Center about combatting Islamophobia. Leaders there said that more interfaith conversations are needed to challenge the racist and xenophobic rhetoric throughout our society that encourages attacks on Muslims.
When community leaders spoke on Tuesday, they urged elected officials and San Diegans of all backgrounds to take concrete actions against Islamophobia.
“Your thoughts and prayers are welcome, but not enough,” said Tazheen Nizam, executive director of Council on American Islamic Relations San Diego. “Your concerns are appreciated but not quite fitting. We need action. We need you to shut down the Islamophobic, the anti-Muslim, anti-Arab rhetoric that causes people like this to cause attacks on Islamic centers, schools and Muslim community members.”
As Monday's events unfolded, I messaged Imam Taha Hassane, and he assured me that he was safe. I messaged Daylight's board member Lallia Allali, who is Hassane's wife, and she, too, was safe. Both were present at the center at the time of the attack.
In her message to me, Allali encouraged us to uplift the voices and feelings of San Diego's Muslim community with our journalism.
We will continue to listen and have more coverage coming soon. If you have a tip on a related story that needs to be told, please reach out to kate@daylightsandiego.org.
Take care, stay safe and be kind to one another.
— Kate Morrissey
P.S. We've formatted this week's newsletter differently. Below you will find first both our reporting and other coverage related to the attack on the Islamic Center of San Diego. Then you will find the rest of the newsletter in our usual format.
Attack on the Islamic Center of San Diego
Remembering the men who protected the mosque
Imam Taha Hassane and San Diego police identified the three victims as Amin Abdullah, Mansour Kaziha and Nadir Awad. They celebrated the three men, who were community members who attended and assisted at the mosque, as heroes who gave their lives to protect children in the school there.
— Kate Morrissey
Islamic Center interfaith vigil draws hundreds
The day after three men were killed at the Islamic Center of San Diego, hundreds of community members, religious and nonprofit leaders, and government officials gathered to pray and pay respect to the victims and their families.
— Sam Barney-Gibbs
CBS News reported that the gunmen, ages 17 and 18, were steeped in hateful, White nationalist ideology. On its Midday Edition show, KPBS dug into the way the two found motivation and inspiration from another similar far-right attack on a mosque.
The Los Angeles Times reported that the gunmen left behind a 75-page manifesto. Even one of the guns used had hate speech written on it.
The mother of the younger assailant called the police about two hours before the attack to report him as missing and suicidal, NBC News reported. She told police that he had stolen her guns and car. (I learned at a press conference that police later recovered 30 guns from the suspects’ homes as well as a crossbow.)
The Guardian reported that security guard Abdullah's heroic actions delayed the attackers’ entry to the center, giving people time to hide. Abdullah leaves behind eight children. Surrounded by her siblings, one of his daughters spoke at a press conference on Tuesday, remembering her father as a protector and an example for all to follow.
KPBS shared resources about ways to give or receive help following the attack and ways to help children cope with the news. A fund to help the victims’ families had already raised close to $3 million dollars as of Wednesday afternoon.
NBC7 reported that the mosque reopened for prayer services Wednesday.
Our other stories
Low- and no-cost mental health services guide
Mental health care can often seem out of reach financially. There are several ways to access care within your budget in San Diego — from no-cost care to services that accept Medi-Cal or therapists who offer sliding scales based on your income.
— Maya Srikrishnan
A letter sent to Congress alleged more than 170 agents and officers with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection had committed sexual misconduct, the head of the Border Patrol resigned, and the federal government got rid of the office responsible for investigating deaths in immigration custody. Here's what happened last week in immigration news.
— Kate Morrissey
A California food assistance program that has been a low-key success story is not being replenished in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed budget for 2026-27. The current funding will be exhausted by next March.
— Story by Mark Kreidler, Capital & Main
This week, San Diegans can join a reading series or book swap, celebrate Bike Anywhere Day by riding through San Diego’s green spaces and jam out to vinyl beats.
— Sam Barney-Gibbs
Other local news
CalMatters reported that gas prices could be going up in our state in a matter of weeks as the current supply runs out. With prices averaging more than $6 a gallon, Californians are already spending more on gas than in any other state.
Meanwhile, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that San Diego has dropped out of the top 10 most expensive cities in terms of rent. Still, Axios reported that you need to make $50 per hour to afford rent here.
KPBS reported that a nonprofit owns Imperial Regional Detention Facility and, as a charity, gets tax breaks on the immigration detention center. Lawmakers are now investigating.
Shelltown residents are experiencing health problems related to the floods from January 2024, Voice of San Diego reported.
Local musician Mitchum Yacoub posted a music video on Instagram for “Deseo Celestial,” a song from his recently released album.
Upcoming Events
May 22
Say It Loud: The San Diego LGBT Community Center is hosting an open mic night centering Black, BIPOC, trans and nonbinary voices with poetry, music, comedy and prose performances, including sets by Amber St. James and DD Stepps Comedy. Open to ages 16 and up. RSVP online. 6 p.m., The Center's Auditorium, 3909 Centre St., San Diego, CA 92103
Sunset Social: The Living Coast Discovery Center is hosting an evening for adults 21 and older along San Diego Bay with DJ Artistic, a photo booth, animal encounters, dried bouquet making, face painting, a vision board lounge and partner organizations from across the conservation community. Craft cocktails, beer and wine are available for purchase. Tickets available online. 6 - 9 p.m., Living Coast Discovery Center, 1000 Gunpowder Point Drive, Chula Vista, CA 91910
Beautiful Girls Love Slow Jamz: Time Lover is hosting an all-vinyl night of 1990s and 2000s R&B slow jams. The event is free. Guests must be 21 and older. 9 p.m. - 2 a.m., Part Time Lover, 3829 30th St., San Diego, CA 92104
Rocky Horror Picture Show: Crazed Imaginations hosts a screening and shadowcast performance of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" at the La Paloma Theatre in Encinitas on the second, fourth and fifth Fridays of each month. Tickets can be reserved online and prop bags can be purchased at the theater for $5. 10:30 p.m., La Paloma Theatre, 471 S Coast Hwy. 101, Encinitas, CA 92024
May 23
Community Work Day: People can help cultivate a new garden space east of the Mt. Hope Community Garden by creating new planting areas, pulling weeds and moving mulch. No experience level or equipment are necessary. 9 - 11 a.m., 4835 Market St., San Diego, CA 92102
Boarding Pass to Freedom: LaRaza Travels and Director Loving host a monthly workshop at The Block Club for people interested in building a travel business, covering how to earn income from travel, the business model behind travel entrepreneurship and step-by-step starting points with no travel industry experience needed. The series repeats monthly. Free street parking available. 1 - 3 p.m., The Block Club, 6403 Imperial Ave., San Diego, CA 92114
Friend in Common: Future Is Color Studio Sessions is presenting a no-phones music event designed to foster a more connected and engaged atmosphere. Phone cameras will be stickered upon entry. Tickets available online. 4 - 9 p.m., 975 Waterfront Place, Suite 400, San Diego, CA 92101
May 24
Movement on the Water: Movement Matters Collective is partnering with the Maritime Museum of San Diego for a series of mindful movement sessions aboard the historic Berkeley ferry, featuring breath work, yoga and Pilates-inspired movement, light refreshments and same-day museum admission. All levels are welcome. Sessions run Sundays in May. Reserve tickets online, $30 general admission, $15 for Maritime Museum members. 9 a.m., Maritime Museum of San Diego, 1492 N. Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101
Street Creep San Diego: Street Creep San Diego is hosting a group bike ride through Marian Bear Memorial Park and Rose Canyon Open Space, returning via the Rose Canyon Bikeway. Fat tires suggested. Meet at the Old Town Transit Center parking lot at 9:30 a.m., Old Town Transit Center, Telegraph Way, San Diego, CA 92110
Vinyl at the Market: Mo Records is hosting a Memorial Day weekend record show at Liberty Public Market featuring thousands of records for sale, curated vendors and vinyl DJs spinning all day. For vendor or DJ inquiries, message @mo.records on Instagram or email vinylatthemarket@gmail.com. 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Liberty Public Market, 2820 Historic Decatur Road, San Diego, CA 92106
Kaphé Muna One-Year Anniversary: Coffee shop Kaphé Muna is celebrating its first anniversary with a pop-up at Soul Side Vinyl featuring food by Chef Austin and a photo booth by I'm Still Developing. 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Soul Side Vinyl, 3535 Adams Ave., San Diego, CA 92116
Book Swap: San Diego Book Swap Society is hosting a book swap event for people to trade books. Attendees are asked to bring at least one book and may take home up to four. A portion of proceeds will be donated to The Collective Coalition San Diego. Reserve tickets online for $10. 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., Good News Bar, 3821 Park Blvd., San Diego, CA 92103
