ISIS Supporter Mohamed Bailor Jalloh Kills ROTC Instructor Brandon Shah at Old Dominion

A gunman identified by federal authorities as 36-year-old Mohamed Bailor Jalloh opened fire on March 12 inside Constant Hall at Old Dominion University during an ROTC class, killing one person and wounding two others; the incident is being investigated as an act of terrorism.

““The safety of our campus community is my top priority,” Hemphill wrote”

41NBC News

Multiple outlets reported that the shooter entered a classroom in Constant Hall, asked if it was an ROTC session, then opened fire, with officials and the FBI treating the attack as a possible or likely terrorist act.

41NBC News

Authorities and university officials issued shelter-in-place alerts and mobilised local and federal law enforcement while campus operations were temporarily suspended as investigators secured the scene.

The person killed was identified by state officials as Lieutenant Colonel Brandon A. Shah, a decorated Army officer who served multiple deployments and led ODU’s Army ROTC program as Professor of Military Science; Governor Abigail Spanberger and university leaders paid tribute while describing him as a devoted instructor.

Reports say Shah died at the scene and that at least two of the victims were ROTC students who were transported to hospital, one in critical condition, and the university offered counselling and support services as it mourned the loss.

Al Jazeera

Federal reporting and court records cited across outlets show Jalloh was a former Virginia Army National Guard member who pleaded guilty in 2016 to attempting to provide material support to ISIL/ISIS, was sentenced to roughly 11 years in prison, and was released from federal custody in December 2024.

Coverage notes prior contacts with radical cleric Anwar al-Awlaki and a sting in which an FBI informant recorded Jalloh discussing violent plans; prosecutors once sought a longer sentence and federal authorities previously arrested him after a gun purchase that was rendered inoperable by the seller.

Eyewitness and official accounts describe a swift and violent sequence in the classroom: after confirming the room was an ROTC session, the attacker began shooting and at least one student intervened; multiple outlets report that cadets confronted and subdued the gunman, with one student stabbing him to death while officials say he was not shot by the students and investigators have not yet released precise details on the cause of the suspect’s death.

Federal and local authorities publicly credited the cadets’ actions with preventing further casualties and praised their bravery as the investigation continued.

Boston Herald

Federal agencies have taken the lead in the probe, with the FBI and ATF assisting and FBI Director Kash Patel and other officials characterising the attack as terrorism because of the suspect’s prior convictions and reported statements; authorities are still determining exact motives and the facts of the suspect’s death.

“roonierella/ iStock/Getty Images Plus One person is dead and two others are wounded after a gunman opened fire in the business school building at Old Dominion University Thursday morning, the Associated Press reported”

Inside Higher Ed

The shooting occurred amid ongoing concern about gun violence on U.S. campuses, with reporting noting a string of campus shootings in 2026 and statistics that underscore high daily firearm injury rates in 2025, and university leaders stressed safety and support while law enforcement continues its investigation.

Inside Higher Ed