From the AP:
Residents of the Northern California city of San Carlos are mourning the sudden death of their 46-year-old mayor Omar Ahmad.
The Palo Alto Daily News says Ahmad was elected to the San Carlos City Council in 2007 and became the country's second Muslim mayor last year.
The part-time mayor was picking up his newspaper outside his home when he felt severe chest pain and called 911 at 7:12 a.m. Tuesday, said Belmont-San Carlos Fire Department Chief Doug Fry.
Ahmad lost consciousness on the phone and was taken by paramedics to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Fry said.
Ahmad had presided over Monday night's city council meeting and appeared to be in his usual good spirits, said Vice Mayor Andy Klein.
"We're all pretty shocked here. No one saw this coming," Klein said.
Klein will assume the mayor's duties until the next city council meeting, when an interim mayor will be named to replace Ahmad, whose term expires at the end of the year, said Assistant City Manager Brian Moura.
Ahmad, was born in Ohio and grew up in Florida, is survived by his parents and three siblings, according to City Councilman Randy Royce.
Ahmad moved to California in 1998 and worked for several technology companies, including Netscape, Napster and (at)Home Networks. He also served on numerous boards and committees of local government agencies and nonprofit organizations.
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