Old Dominion shooting is being investigated as act of terrorism, FBI director says

( NBC )

Authorities are investigating a shooting at a Virginia college Thursday that left one victim dead and two injured as an act of terrorism, FBI Director Kash Patel said.

The gunfire erupted shortly before 11 a.m. in an ROTC classroom at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, officials said.

The victim, Brandon A. Shah, an Army lieutenant colonel, was an ROTC instructor described by Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger as a devoted teacher who "didn’t just lead a life of service to our country, he taught and led others to follow that path."

Army Lt. Col. Brandon A. Shah

Two other U.S. Army personnel were injured, U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll said.

The gunman, a former member of the Army National Guard who previously pleaded guilty to terrorism-related charges, was also killed in the shooting. The FBI identified him as Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, 36.

Dominique Evans, special agent in charge of the agency’s Norfolk field office, said that he shouted “Allahu Akbar” and was subdued by students who “rendered him no longer alive.”

While law enforcement officials have not yet confirmed a motive, federal authorities said in the previous 2016 case that Jalloh was involved in a plot to "murder US military personnel."

He traveled to North Carolina in 2016 to attempt to buy an AK-47, but the gun owner refused to sell it, according to federal authorities. He then bought an AR-15 at a local gun store on July 2, 2016, and was arrested the next day.

Authorities said in the 2016 case that Jalloh attempted to provide funds to people hoping to join the Islamic State terrorist group, better known as ISIS. Jalloh ultimately pleaded guilty to attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and was sentenced to 11 years in prison, as well as five years of supervised release.

Bureau of Prison records show that Jalloh was released in 2024; under federal law defendants must serve at least 85% of their sentences even when they receive credit for good behavior.

At his sentencing hearing in 2017, Jalloh told the judge that “this entire crime is not who I am, it’s not who I plan to be, and it’s not who I have been.”

The school had sent out an urgent alert at 10:48 a.m. about an active threat in the building.

At 11:30 a.m., the school described the incident as an “active shooter situation” and said the shooter had been “neutralized.” It did not provide further details.

In a statement, Spanberger expressed her condolences and said she was praying “for the victims, their families, and every Virginian who has been touched by this terrifying shooting.

I encourage community members to continue following guidance from the university and local emergency officials.”

University President Brian O. Hemphill thanked law enforcement for their quick response and paid tribute to the shooting victims.

"We recognize members of our campus and community who were deeply impacted by this senseless act of violence," he said.

The university will be closed Friday.

Shah was a professor of military science and a department chair at Old Dominion's ROTC program. He was commended in 2023 for increasing enrollment in the ROTC program by nearly 50% — from 95 to nearly 140 students.

He enlisted in the Army in 2003, according to his biography on ODU’s website, and was deployed in support of military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Shah was awarded two bronze stars.

Shah’s cousin, Rizwan Shah, who also served in the Army, said they were “proud to serve our country together.”

The family came to the U.S. from Pakistan, Rizwan Shah said. Brandon Shah was born in the U.S. after his father immigrated to America, where he met Brandon's mother, he said.

Rizwan Shah, who was born in Pakistan, said: “Up until this point we’ve been a great immigrant story. It’s a horrible and tragic end to his story.”

“It’s not just a loss to my family, it’s a loss to our generation," he said. “It saddens me the way it happened, and what the news is reporting about it being another soldier makes it worse.”