A father of eight was among the three victims in a mass shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego on Monday, May 18.

Amin Abdullah, a security guard, was identified as one of the victims, Tazheen Nizam, a spokeswoman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations-San Diego (CAIR-SD), told the BBC.

“He was a loving father, husband, son, brother, and uncle,” his daughter Hawaa Abdullah said in a news conference on Tuesday, May 19, per CNN.

“To me, my dad was a role model,” Hawaa said. “He was a best friend. He was the best, absolute best dad in the world.”

Abdullah would “stop whatever he was doing to make sure that I was safe,” his daughter said.

“We do believe the security guard was able to help at least minimize the situation to the front area of the mosque,” San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said in a press conference on Monday evening.

“At this point, I think it’s fair to say his actions were heroic,” Wahl added. “Undoubtedly, he saved lives today.”

San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria added in the press conference that he had “deep gratitude” for the security guard whose “actions and heroicism undoubtedly saved lives.”

Sam Hamideh described the security guard as “a martyr” for protecting the children in the center, who were unharmed in the shooting, per The Washington Post.

“He would always make sure the community was safe,” Hamideh told the outlet. “The one thing that makes me emotional is the valor of who he is, a man, a father, and a husband who cared about other kids, who cared about the community. That type of guy is a guy you would want to be.”

“He greeted everyone who would come into the center,” Mayte Gutierrez told USA Today of Abdullah. “He was loved by the students and the teachers.”

CAIR San Diego established a LaunchGood fundraiser to support the families of Abdullah and the two other victims, Nader Awad and Abul Ezz (Mansour Kaziha). The fundraiser has raised over $2.3 million.

On Tuesday, Wahl said the three victims’ actions likely saved 140 children, according to Al Jazeera.

“I want to be very clear, all three of our victims did not die in vain,” Wahl said Tuesday. “Without distracting the attention, without delaying the actions of these two individuals, without question, there would have been many more fatalities yesterday.”

The two teenage suspects were found dead from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds in a car parked near the mosque, according to CNN, citing law enforcement officials.

The shooting was reported at the Islamic Center of San Diego on Eckstrom Avenue around 12:00 p.m. local time, per the San Diego Police Department. In an update an hour later, police said on X that the threat had been “neutralized.”

Wahl said in the Monday press conference that police are investigating the shooting as a hate crime, after investigators deduced that “hate rhetoric was involved.” The FBI is also investigating the shooting.

Police said in an updated press release that one of the shooters’ mother “believed her son was suicidal” and “shared information that several of her weapons were missing, along with her vehicle,” noting that he was with a “companion” who was dressed in camouflage.

The shooting occurred during Dhul Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic year that is regarded as “one of the holiest periods” of the year, according to Islamic Relief Canada.

PEOPLE has reached out to San Diego police and CAIR-SD for updates.