ROTC students subdued Old Dominion gunman, shooting probed as terrorism
Old Dominion University ROTC students subdued a gunman Thursday after he shot and killed a professor at the Virginia university. The shooter injured two other Army service members before students neutralized the attacker.
Police identified the victim as Army Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, an Iraq War veteran and department chair at Old Dominion University.
Authorities confirmed the gunman died during the confrontation. They said one student stabbed the attacker, but it’s not yet clear if that was what killed him.
Gunman linked to ISIS
Police identified the suspect as Mohamed Jalloh, a former Army National Guardsman convicted in 2016 of providing material support to ISIS after attempting to carry out a terrorist attack, according to the FBI Special Agent in Charge.
During that trial, Jalloh denounced ISIS, writing in a letter to the judge that he had been “driven by my emotions rather than my intellect,” and that he regretted “becoming involved with such an evil organization.”
The judge sentenced him to 11 years in prison, but he was released in 2024. It is not yet clear why he was released early.
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Police arrive outside Old Dominion University’s campus after reports of an active shooter on Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Norfolk, Va. (AP Photo/John Clark) -
Police arrive outside Old Dominion University’s campus after reports of an active shooter on Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Norfolk, Va. (AP Photo/John Clark) -
Police arrive outside Old Dominion University’s campus after reports of an active shooter on Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Norfolk, Va. (AP Photo/John Clark) -
Police arrive outside Old Dominion University’s campus after reports of an active shooter on Thursday, March 12, 2026 in Norfolk, Va. (AP Photo/John Clark)(AP Photo/John Clark) -
Police arrive outside Old Dominion University’s campus after reports of an active shooter on Thursday, March 12, 2026, in Norfolk, Va. (AP Photo/John Clark)
Investigators say Jalloh reportedly shouted “Allahu Akbar,” an Arabic phrase meaning “God is greatest,” before opening fire on campus.
Military records indicate Jalloh served as a combat engineer in the Virginia National Guard from 2009 to 2015, receiving an honorable discharge.
The incident is currently under investigation as a potential act of terrorism.
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
