The gunman who opened fire on the campus of Old Dominion University Thursday morning, killing one person and injuring two others, has been identified as Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, a former Army National Guard member who was previously jailed for his links to ISIS, according to the FBI.
Jalloh pleaded guilty in 2016 to attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State and was sentenced to 11 years in prison, according to his Federal Bureau of Prisons record obtained by CBS News. He was released from federal custody in December 2024.
The shooting on Thursday, which left two people dead, including Jalloh, is being investigated as an act of terrorism, FBI Director Kash Patel said in a social media post. He said the shooter is dead because of “a group of brave students who stepped in and subdued him.”
Their actions “undoubtedly saved lives along with the quick response of law enforcement,” Patel said.
Old Dominion University Police Chief Garrett Shelton said authorities are “very early” in the investigation and have not yet determined the “full cause of death” of the shooter.
The shooting unfolded around 10:49 a.m. in Constant Hall, which is part of the College of Business on the school’s Norfolk, Virginia, campus.
Jennifer, a sophomore at the school, told WVEC recalled hearing a group of people saying, “get out, get out, get out.”
“All of a sudden, we heard a commotion. A lot of people rumbling, starting to get up,” she said. “The guy next to me, we looked at each other, we started running, and that's when we heard, you know, gunshots.”
After the university initially said there were two victims, Shelton said authorities learned that there was a third victim who brought themselves to a hospital. He later confirmed that one of the injured had died. The two others are in stable condition.
The victims have not been identified, but Lt. Col. Jimmy Delongchamp, public information officer for the U.S. Army Cadet Command at Fort Knox, told The Associated Press that the two people wounded are members of the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps at ODU.
According to CBS News, the gunman walked into a classroom, asked if it was an ROTC class, and when someone confirmed that it was, he opened fire, fatally injuring the class instructor, who was a retired Army officer.
According to a transcript reviewed by CBS News, at his 2017 sentencing, Jalloh expressed deep regret for his actions, stating that he was disgusted by ISIS.
“I've made a lot of mistakes in my life, but this mistake of giving any support to the violent and extreme organization ISIS has been the most devastating one I have ever decided to make in my life,” he told U.S. District Judge Liam O'Grady.
“I'm very, very sorry for what I have done," he said at the time. "I did not intend to cause any harm to anyone. And I want to say – I want to say, every time I see any atrocities that ISIS commits, I am disgusted by it because I know this is not what I want to be a part of.”
Within about an hour of the shooting on Thursday, ODU declared that there was no longer a threat on the campus.
In an alert sent at 11:30 a.m., the school described the incident as an “active shooter situation” and said the shooter had been “neutralized.”
The university canceled classes and suspended all operations on its main campus through Friday and urged people to avoid the area in and around Constant Hall while emergency officials continued to work. Counseling and food services will remain available.
“Old Dominion University has canceled classes and operations on main campus for the remainder of the day,” the school said in a statement. “Please avoid the area in and around Constant Hall where emergency personnel continue to work.”
In a message to the university community, ODU President Brian Hemphill said the school faced a tragedy on campus. He expressed gratefulness for the swift emergency response and thoughts and prayers to those impacted.
“The safety of our campus community is my top priority,” Hemphill wrote. “We are deeply committed to safeguarding all Monarchs and ensuring a secure learning, living, and working environment at all times.”
The public university has more than 23,000 students. Constant Hall, which has two lecture halls and 19 classrooms, serves as the “hub for the College of Business at Old Dominion University,” according to the school’s website.
Norfolk Public Schools has placed three elementary schools under a secure hold in response to the incident, 13News Now reports.
"All students and staff are secure, and we are following established safety protocols. We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available," a spokesperson for the district told the outlet.
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger issued a statement on X, saying, “I’m closely monitoring the on-campus shooting at Old Dominion University. I have spoken with university leadership. My Administration remains in close contact with local emergency responders as state support is being mobilized to assist ODU and Norfolk.”
She added, “I encourage students, faculty, and community members to continue following guidance issued by local law enforcement. I thank all first responders on the scene.”
