The three men killed in Monday’s shootingat the Islamic Center of San Diegohave been identified, as a security guard who was killed is being hailed as a hero for his courage during the attack.

Imam Taha Hassane identified the security guard as Amin Abdullah. The other two victims were identified as Mansour Kaziha and Nader Awad. Police have said the tragedy, which is being investigated as a hate crime, could have been much worse without Abdullah’s intervention.

People who knew Abdullah have spoken out about his life, describing him as a father of eight and remembering him for his kindness and valor.

“Because of his heroism and his courage, his bravery, and the love for his community and his faith, he saved a lot of lives,” said Mayte Gutierrez, a former employee of the Islamic Center’s school, which is attached to the mosque. Gutierrez told “CBS Mornings” on Tuesday that she knew the security guard well.

Many have praised Abdullah for keeping the suspects away from the school when they targeted the Islamic Center on Monday morning. Hassane confirmed the entire school was safe, including all of the children and teachers, in a social media post shared in the hours after news of the shooting first broke. While speaking during a news conference, he later urged the public to respect the privacy of the victims and their families.

San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl on Tuesday said the suspects ran past the security guard, “most likely not knowing he was there,” and Abdullah then fired at them. After announcing the threat on his radio and initiating the mosque’s lockdown protocols, he “continued to engage in a gun battle” with the suspects, Wahl said.

“His actions, without a doubt, delayed, distracted and ultimately deterred these two individuals from gaining access to the greater areas of the mosque, where as many as 140 kids were within 15 feet of these suspects,” he said.

Kaziha and Awad then “inadvertently” drew the suspects back out into the parking lot, “where they were unfortunately unable to flee,” Wahl said. The suspects managed to corner and kill the two men, but while outside, police said they believe the suspects tried to flee in their car after they realized law enforcement was “seconds away.”

“All three of our victims did not die in vain,” Wahl said. “Without distracting the attention, without delaying the actions of these two individuals, without question, there would have been many more fatalities yesterday.”

The two suspects, 17 and 18 years old, were found dead inside a vehicle nearby, police said.

Wahl had earlier credited the security guard for helping contain the situation before authorities responded to the scene.

“I think it’s fair to say his actions were heroic, and, undoubtedly, he saved lives today,” Wahl said Monday.

Sam Hamideh, a parent who said he knew Abdullah through the Islamic Center, told CBS News Los Angeles that the man’s benevolence and generosity were character traits of his that really stood out.

“This guy, like, it didn’t matter who walked up … any random person could just walk up and, like, he would greet them, make sure they are OK,” Hamideh recalled. “Whether they were homeless off the street looking for something, whether it was a child or the elderly.”

Abdullah was hired by the mosque around 2019 or 2020, according to Hassane.

Abdullah “never, ever stopped smiling,” Hassane said Tuesday during a news conference. “If not for him … the carnage would be much worse. He’s the one who stopped them. Who slowed them down. If he didn’t do what he did, and he sacrificed his life, the two suspects would have easy access to every single classroom. We’re so proud of him.”

Speaking about the other victims, Hassane said Kaziha was “the pillar of the Islamic Center of San Diego,” and had been a member since 1986. Hassane said it was Kaziha who first called 911 after shots rang out.

“In the last 22 years being the imam of the Islamic Center of San Diego, I have never done anything without him,” Hassane said. “He is on the top of my list for people to call. Every single thing going wrong, even the lights not working … He was the handyman. He was the cook. He was the caretaker. He was the storekeeper. He was everything. I don’t know what I’m going to do at the Islamic Center without his assistance.”

“We miss him,” he added.

Hassane also spoke of the heroism of Awad, saying that when he heard the shooting, “he rushed. To do something. To protect. And he joined Mansour Kaziha. They died together … Both of them, they tried to do something.”

“Unfortunately, they sacrificed their lives to protect the entire community inside the Islamic Center of San Diego,” Hassane said.

Awad lived across the street from the Islamic Center and his wife is a teacher at the school, Hassane said. Awad came to pray at the center “every single day,” Hassane said.

Wahl said during a news conference Monday that all three of the shooting victims were seen in front of the mosque when police arrived. Moments later, officers were called to a different location nearby and discovered the two suspected shooters deceased inside a vehicle, according to the police chief. The FBI said both suspects were teenagers.

Hassane said the center is “used to receiving hate mail, hate messages, people driving by and cursing and all that stuff,” but that he never expected an attack like Monday’s would happen.

Federal investigators said Monday they had not yet determined a motive for the attack, but Wahl told reporters that “because of the Islamic Center location, we are considering this a hate crime until it’s not.”

FBI San Diego Field Office special agent in charge Mark Remily said Tuesday that investigators found a document the FBI called a “manifesto” in the suspects’ vehicle. The document, which has been reviewed by CBS News, appears to glorify past mass shooters and spout anti-Islamic and antisemitic rhetoric as well as racist and misogynistic speech.

“These subjects did not discriminate on who they hated,” he said, adding later, “It covered a wide aspect of races and religions.”

Remily also said the FBI and local police are conducting “extensive interviews” with the suspects’ family and friends. As of Tuesday, they had executed search warrants at three different homes, and found guns and other equipment, he said, including “numerous pistols, rifles, shotguns, ammunition, tactical gear, as well as electronics,” at two of those locations. More than 30 guns and a crossbow have been seized so far, Remily said.

Wahl said the guns belonged to one of the suspect’s parents. He said they were investigating how they got the weapons and that it was too early to determine if the parents could be facing charges. Police had previously said the mother of one of the suspects had called police prior to the shooting to report that her son, car and several guns were missing. Wahl said Tuesday it was the mother of the younger, 17-year-old suspect who called.

Remily said authorities are aware that the suspects appear to have livestreamed the shooting, but that he couldn’t comment much on it other than to say investigators were “digging into that as aggressively and as quickly as we can.”

The suspects met online and both realized they lived in the San Diego area, according to Remily.

The deadly shooting comes as places of worship, in the United States and internationally, are increasingly targeted in acts of violence. On Monday, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said more police officers would be deployed to guard places of worship to ensure “that we anticipate and try to prevent the very worst,” as he also thanked the security guard for his actions at the Islamic Center.

“We didn’t meet that mark today, but I have deep gratitude to the security officer who was here, whose actions and heroism undoubtedly saved lives,” Gloria said.

FIRST ON FOX: A California doctor accused of submitting more than $45 million in false and fraudulent Medicare claims for Botox injections—in an effort to fund a lavish lifestyle that included luxury vacations and the purchase of a $12,000 17th-century crossbow—has been convicted by a federal jury, the Justice Department announced.

Violetta Mailyan, 45, of Glendale, was convicted of nine counts of wire fraud and three counts of obstruction of a criminal investigation of a healthcare offense.

Mailyan’s operation in the Los Angeles suburb was flagged by the DOJ’s Health Care Fraud Section’s Data Analytics Team. An analysis showed that she had been paid more by Medicare for Botox injections than any other doctor in the United States, making her an extreme outlier among medical providers, prosecutors said.

At the time, Mailyan had been paid more than $24 million over the previous four years — six times the amount received by the next highest group of providers, all of whom were neurologists.

“Violetta Mailyan falsely diagnosed patients, fraudulently billed Medicare for Botox injections while she was actually on lavish vacations, and tried to trick federal agents with fake records,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “The Fraud Division’s data-driven approach shines a light on fraud schemes across the country, ensuring that no doctor can engage in these brazen schemes to steal taxpayer dollars.”

LOS ANGELES HOSPICE FRAUD REACHES BILLIONS AS MEDICARE PROVIDERS SCAM FEDERAL SYSTEM WITH FAKE COMPANIES

In addition to scheming to defraud Medicare, Mailyan altered medical records in an attempt to mislead investigators, authorities said. She owned and operated the Healthy Way Medical Center, which billed Medicare for Botox injections that were medically unnecessary and never actually provided.

This included billing for injections on dates when Mailyan was traveling to Cabo, Mexico; Maui, Hawaii; Las Vegas; Pennsylvania; and New York.

Furthermore, some of the injections allegedly took place on dates when the clinic was closed, or when the patient who supposedly received the treatment was actually incarcerated in federal prison.

DR OZ SAYS 800 HOSPICE PROVIDERS SUSPENDED IN CALIFORNIA OVER ALLEGED $1B MEDICARE FRAUD SCHEME

Typically, Medicare reimburses medical providers for Botox injections only when they are deemed necessary to treat documented cases of chronic migraines. However, Mailyan billed and received payments for thousands of injections that were either never provided, administered solely for cosmetic purposes, or given to patients whose primary care physicians had not referred them for chronic migraine treatment.

On her social media accounts, Mailyan even described herself as a “BOTOX FILLER NONSURGICAL NOSE COSMETIC DOCTOR.”

Prosecutors said that in an effort to conceal the fraud, she fabricated patient medical records—including patient consent forms—to make it appear as if patients received migraine treatments in her office. She was accused of backdating some claims to bill for injections before the patients had even contacted her clinic to request an appointment.

LA MAN FOUND GUILTY OF SCAMMING INVESTORS, HOLLYWOOD STARS OUT OF OVER $20 MILLION TO FUEL LAVISH LIFESTYLE

Mailyan used millions of dollars she received from the fraud to fund lavish vacations and purchase luxury collectible goods, including a $3,000 painting of Ludwig 1, crown prince of Bavaria, and the $12,000 17th-century crossbow, prosecutors said.

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Mailyan faces up to 20 years in prison for each count of wire fraud and five years in prison for each count of obstruction. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Mailyan’s legal team for comment.

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A former Virginia assistant principal is on trial on felony child neglect charges after prosecutors say she ignored warnings that a 6-year-old student had a loaded gun before the child shot his teacher in 2023.

Jury selection began Monday in Newport News in the trial of Ebony Parker, the former assistant principal at Richneck Elementary School. Parker, who has pleaded not guilty, faces eight felony child neglect charges tied to the shooting of first-grade teacher Abby Zwerner, according to The Associated Press.

Prosecutors allege several school employees warned Parker that the student might have a gun, but she failed to take action before the shooting happened, the outlet reported.

Parker’s defense has argued she is being unfairly blamed for broader failures that preceded the shooting.

ATTORNEY SAYS VIRGINIA SCHOOL MISSED WARNINGS BEFORE 6-YEAR-OLD SHOT TEACHER

Prosecutors brought one count for each of the eight bullets loaded in the gun. If convicted, Parker could face up to five years in prison for each count, reported.

The shooting happened on Jan. 6, 2023, when authorities said the 6-year-old student shot Zwerner while she was teaching.

She was hospitalized for nearly two weeks and underwent six surgeries after the bullet narrowly missed her heart. She still has limited use of her left hand, according to the .

TEACHER SHOT BY 6-YEAR-OLD TELLS JURORS SHE NEVER PULLED CHILD FROM CLASS AS DEFENSE EXPERTS BACK OFFICIALS

In November 2025, a jury awarded Zwerner $10 million in a civil lawsuit against Parker, alleging the former administrator dismissed concerns that the student may have brought a gun to school.

In a statement to Fox News Digital at the time, Zwerner’s legal team said the verdict marked a “major step forward in Abby’s long road of healing.”

During the earlier civil trial, Parker’s attorneys argued the shooting was “unforeseeable” and maintained she did not have a legal responsibility to protect Zwerner from the attack.

KENTUCKY TO CONSIDER BILL THAT WOULD HOLD PARENTS ACCOUNTABLE FOR CHILDREN’S GUN CRIMES

Zwerner is expected to testify in the criminal trial, reported.

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Authorities said the child got the gun from his mother’s purse after climbing onto a dresser. The student’s mother was previously sentenced to nearly four years in prison.

Fox News Digital’s Julia Bonavita, Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky has faced a barrage of attacks from President Trump heading into Tuesday’s primary against former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein, who has the president’s endorsement.

But Massie doesn’t appear to be sweating it, even after several of Mr. Trump’s perceived adversaries have suffered primary defeats stemming from the president’s ire — most recently GOP Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana.

In the days leading up to the contest in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District, Mr. Trump has labeled Massie “the worst congressman in the history of our country” and has called him “a disloyal, ungracious, and sanctimonious FOOL.” He has also threatened to primary other congressional Republicans who have campaigned with Massie, who has voted against several of the president’s legislative priorities, opposed the war with Iran and defied him in pushing for the release of the Epstein files.

“He knows I’m tough to beat,” Massie told CBS News in an interview Monday in his hometown of Vanceburg, Kentucky. “He’s literally losing sleep over this race, because he’s in with both feet. I think their polling shows what our polling shows, which is there’s a better than half chance that we’re going to win this race.”

Massie later said, “I’m going to win.”

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth campaigned with Gallrein earlier Monday in a hotel ballroom across the street from the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Airport, using a 23-minute appearance to accuse Massie of “constant obstruction.” Hegseth said he was there in his personal capacity, and after stopping earlier Monday at the Fort Campbell Army Base, though the visit marked a break from military officials’ longstanding practice of avoiding partisan politics.

Massie told CBS News that Hegseth’s appearance underscores how concerned the president and his allies are about Tuesday’s outcome.

“How much personal time do you have when you’re supposed to be monitoring a war in Iran?” Massie said. “You don’t send the Secretary of War to Kentucky during a war if you think your candidate is up 10 points. That’s what you do when you realize your whole campaign is imploding.”

But Massie said millions in spending by pro-Israel interest groups is causing more disruption in the race than the president. In a typical year, Massie said he would have won the primary with 80% of the vote. He estimated Mr. Trump’s endorsement of Gallrein lowered his support to 60%, and spending from the pro-Israel lobby further eroded it.

“I think what would have been a 60-40 race is now a 50-50 race,” Massie said, citing Gallrein’s support from AIPAC, the Republican Jewish Coalition and GOP megadonors such as Miriam Adelson.

The congressman called the race, which has become the most expensive House primary in history, “a referendum on whether the Israeli lobby can buy a seat in Congress.” He accused the interest groups of trying to “intimidate the entire Republican Party into having zero dissension on foreign policy toward Israel.”

Massie is one of the few Republicans in Congress who has opposed the war with Iran and has voted with Democrats to rein in Mr. Trump’s authority to carry out further military action without congressional authorization. He has also voted against symbolic resolutions backing Israel, as well as a resolution condemning antisemitism that he argued promoted censorship.

Asked whether he’s antisemitic, Massie responded “hell no.”

Massie warned that it’s a “big disfavor” to Jewish Americans to equate anti-Zionism or criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s war in Gaza with antisemitism.

He defended his stance on Israel, saying his policy has “always been no country is special and no country deserves my constituents’ taxpayer dollars.”

“I have never voted for foreign aid to Egypt, to Syria, to Israel or to Ukraine,” he said. “But the ones in Israel, since they’re the biggest recipients of it, that makes them a little bit mad.”

Massie said he doesn’t support aid to Israel because “we’ve got debt” and it’s a “one-way” arrangement.

“At least with NATO, there’s the promise of a reciprocal arrangement,” he argued, also accusing Israel of dragging the U.S. into wars.