Photo: Alamy
Authorities have identified the suspected gunman in a shooting at Old Dominion University as a former Army National Guard member who was previously convicted of attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State group.
Officials said the suspect, 36-year-old Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, opened fire Thursday inside a Reserve Officers’ Training Corps classroom on the Norfolk campus. The attack killed an ROTC instructor and wounded two ROTC students before the gunman was stopped.
FBI Director Kash Patel said a group of students intervened during the incident and subdued the shooter. Authorities have not yet said exactly how Jalloh died.
FBI Special Agent Dominique Evans said Jalloh forced his way into the classroom and shouted “Allahu Akbar,” an Arabic phrase meaning “God is Great,” before opening fire.
Investigators said Jalloh had a previous terrorism-related conviction. In 2016, authorities accused him of participating in a plot to kill U.S. military personnel and attempting to support ISIS.
According to court records cited by NBC News, Jalloh tried to purchase an AK-47 in North Carolina that year, but the seller refused to complete the transaction. Authorities said he later obtained an AR-15-style rifle from a gun store before being arrested the following day.
Federal prosecutors also said Jalloh attempted to provide financial assistance to individuals seeking to travel overseas to join ISIS. He later pleaded guilty to attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and was sentenced to 11 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Jalloh was released from prison in 2024.
Law enforcement officials said the investigation is ongoing and the shooting is being examined as a potential act of terrorism.
University officials said the campus was placed on lockdown following the shooting as police responded to the scene. Classes and campus activities were suspended while investigators secured the area.