An event in Orange County is held on Thursday after the funeral of the three men killed in the attack

Mourners gathered Thursday evening at the Islamic Society of Orange County in Garden Grove for a solemn community vigil honoring three men killed earlier this week during a deadly attack at a San Diego mosque.

The event came days after two teenage gunmen opened fire outside the Islamic Center of San Diego last Monday in what authorities are investigating as a hate crime. Three men — identified as Amin Abdullah, Mansour Kaziha and Nadir Awad — were killed while attempting to stop the attackers and protect worshippers, including children attending classes at the mosque. Authorities said the gunmen later died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds.

Community leaders, elected officials, faith representatives and families from across Southern California gathered in a courtyard at the Garden Grove mosque Thursday night as prayers and tributes filled the air. Attendees described the gathering as both a memorial and a demonstration of solidarity following one of the deadliest attacks targeting a Muslim house of worship in recent California history.

Autumn Overton

Police said the three men acted courageously in distracting and ultimately deterring the two gunmen. Their actions helped prevent what could have become a far deadlier tragedy, according to San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl. Approximately 140 children at the mosque’s school were protected during the attack. Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken spoke at the event. The mother of three reflected on parents’ concerns about their children’s security, especially in community spaces often considered safe.

Hussam Ayloush

The Thursday gathering included readings from the Quran, interfaith prayers and remarks from local leaders emphasizing unity across religious communities.  “We need a revolution right now, a revolution of love,” said Autumn Overton of Jewish Voice for Peace. “But this cannot be the average love. It must be a radical love that resists, that is as brave as the love that Amin, Mansour, and Nadir showed us this week.”

Representatives from various faiths joined Muslim leaders in condemning the violence and expressing support for families impacted by the shooting.

Authorities say evidence recovered during the San Diego investigation suggests the suspects held extremist views and had consumed white supremacist content online. “What fuels this hatred? What rhetoric, what propaganda, what normalization of bigotry helped create an environment where two young men could be driven to commit such evil?” asked Hussam Ayloush, Executive Director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA).

Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken

“This terrorist attack did not happen in a vacuum. When politicians demonize communities, when influencers profit from fear, when Muslims are constantly portrayed as dangerous or unwelcome, that rhetoric shapes the world around us.”

Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi, Sr. Advisor, ISOC

As the evening concluded in Garden Grove, attendees stood in silence while prayers were offered for the victims and their families. Many embraced one another afterward, lingering outside the mosque after the formal program ended.

For many, the message was clear: the victims would not be remembered only for the violence that took their lives, but for the courage they showed in protecting others.