From the South Orange Mayor and the South Orange Village Council:
Yesterday, our country witnessed another horrific act of violence when three members of the Islamic Center of San Diego community were killed in an attack targeting the mosque, where hundreds of children attending the school on the property were forced into lockdown as the attack unfolded.
Among those killed was Amin Abdullah, a security guard who gave his life protecting others inside the mosque. By all accounts, his bravery saved lives, and his actions should be remembered with deep respect and gratitude.
On behalf of the South Orange Village Council, I want to express our heartbreak and condemnation in the wake of this tragedy. We mourn alongside the victims’ families, the Muslim community in San Diego, and Muslims across our country who are once again being forced to process what authorities are investigating as a hate-motivated attack directed at people simply gathering to pray as many prepared to observe Eid al-Adha next week, a sacred time centered on faith, compassion, sacrifice, and community.
We should all take a moment to reflect on how we arrived at a place where violence like this keeps happening. The truth is that words matter. What we say online, what we repeat, what we normalize, and the way we talk about one another can either help de-escalate anger and fear or fuel it. We never truly know who is watching, absorbing that hatred, and convincing themselves that violence is justified.
That is a responsibility all of us share.
And while this investigation continues, it is impossible to ignore the broader realities facing this country: the normalization of extremism, easy access to deadly weapons, untreated mental health struggles, especially among our youth, and a culture that too often rewards anger instead of empathy. We cannot continue accepting this as inevitable.
Our children deserve better than inheriting a world where houses of worship require armed security guards and where people fear being targeted because of their faith or identity.
South Orange is by no means perfect, but we continue striving every day to be a community where people feel safe, valued, and protected.
Mayor Sheena Collum
On behalf of the South Orange Village Council
Patricia Canning
Jen Greenberg
Bill Haskins
Summer Jones
Olivia Lewis-Chang
Hannah Zollman
