The suspect who killed one person and wounded two others at Old Dominion University on Thursday was identified by authorities as Mohamed Jalloh, a former Army National Guard member who pleaded guilty in 2016 to attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State.
Dominique Evans, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Norfolk field office, told reporters that the suspect had attempted to commit an “act of terrorism” and shouted “Allahu Akbar” before opening fire. He was subdued and killed by members of the university’s ROTC program in a university classroom, he said, praising them for demonstrating “extreme bravery and courage” and preventing further loss of life. (ROTC is a college program that allows students to train to become U.S. military officers while earning a college degree.)
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger identified Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, an ROTC instructor, as the victim killed in the shooting.
“Lieutenant Colonel Shah, a devoted ROTC instructor, not only led a life of service to our country, but he taught and guided others to follow that path,” he wrote on social media.
Kash Patel, director of the FBI, said the bureau was investigating the incident as an “act of terrorism.”
“Earlier today, an armed individual opened fire at Old Dominion University, leaving one person dead and two others injured,” Patel said on social media. “The shooter died thanks to a group of brave students who intervened and subdued him, actions that undoubtedly saved lives along with the rapid response of the authorities.
Evans did not provide further details about how the suspect died, except to confirm that the gunman was not shot. He said the ROTC students “knocked the life out of him,” adding, “I don’t know how else to say it.”
In 2017, Jalloh was sentenced to 11 years in prison. He was released from federal custody in December 2024.
At an earlier news conference Thursday afternoon, Old Dominion University Police Chief Garrett Shelton said officers responded after receiving reports that people were being shot in one of the classrooms in the university’s business school building, Constant Hall.
After the university initially said there were two victims, Shelton said authorities learned there was a third victim who was taken to a hospital.
He did not acknowledge whether any officer fired a weapon.
He said all three victims are affiliated with the university. Shelton said authorities are “very early” in the investigation and have not yet determined the “full cause of death” of the shooter.
In less than 10 minutes, the call came in, officers arrived and determined the shooter was dead, the chief said.
Lt. Col. Jimmy Delongchamp, public information officer for the U.S. Army Cadet Command at Fort Knox, Kentucky, told the Associated Press that two injured people are members of the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps at ODU.
“We will continue to coordinate with the university and law enforcement agencies as they investigate the incident,” Delongchamp said in a brief phone interview. “There are still a lot more things we have to figure out.”
According to Sentara Health, one patient remains in critical condition at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.
Another person was treated and released from Sentara Independence’s free-standing emergency department in Virginia Beach after arriving in a personal vehicle, Sentara Health said.
About an hour after the shooting, ODU declared there was no longer any threat on campus.
The public university in Norfolk canceled classes and suspended all operations at its main campus through Friday and urged people to avoid the area in and around Constant Hall as emergency officials continued to work. Counseling and food services will continue to be available.
In a message to the university community, ODU President Brian Hemphill said the school faced a tragedy on campus. He expressed his gratitude for the quick emergency response and his thoughts and prayers to those affected.
“The safety of our university community is my top priority,” Hemphill wrote. “We are deeply committed to safeguarding all Monarchs and ensuring a safe learning, living and working environment at all times.”
Located on the Norfolk coast, Old Dominion University has about 24,000 students, 17,500 of them college students.
