FBI Director: Old Dominion Shooting Probed as Potential Terrorism Act
Federal and local authorities are investigating a shooting that struck an ROTC classroom at Old Dominion University in Norfolk on Thursday. The attack occurred shortly before 11 a.m. and left one instructor dead and two other Army personnel wounded.
Immediate response and scene
The university issued an urgent alert at 10:48 a.m. about an active threat. By 11:30 a.m., officials said the shooter had been neutralized and the situation contained.
Students reportedly subdued the attacker after he shouted “Allahu Akbar.” Law enforcement said those students rendered him no longer alive at the scene.
Investigation status
FBI Director Kash Patel said federal agents are probing the Old Dominion campus shooting as a possible terrorism act. Authorities have not yet confirmed a motive.
The FBI’s Norfolk field office and other federal partners lead the inquiry. Investigators are reviewing the suspect’s past criminal history and recent activities.
Victim and campus impact
The fatality was Army Lt. Col. Brandon A. Shah. He served as professor of military science and chaired the university ROTC department.
Shah enlisted in 2003 and deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. His biography notes two Bronze Star awards and recent recognition for boosting ROTC enrollment from 95 to nearly 140 students in 2023.
Community reaction
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger expressed condolences and praised Shah’s dedication to service and teaching. University President Brian O. Hemphill thanked first responders and honored those affected.
Old Dominion announced it would be closed Friday to allow the campus to grieve and for authorities to continue their work.
Suspect background
The shooter was identified as Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, 36, and a former member of the Army National Guard. He was killed during the incident.
Jalloh pleaded guilty in 2016 to attempting to provide material support to ISIS. He was also linked by federal prosecutors to a plot to target U.S. military personnel.
2016 case details and sentence
According to court records, Jalloh tried to buy an AK-47 in North Carolina in 2016. After that failed, he purchased an AR-15 on July 2, 2016, and was arrested the next day.
A federal court sentenced him to 11 years in prison and five years of supervised release. Bureau of Prisons records show he was released in 2024. Federal law requires inmates to serve at least 85% of their sentences.
Family and legacy
Shah’s family immigrated from Pakistan. His cousin, Rizwan Shah, also an Army veteran, said the family took pride in serving together.
Rizwan described Brandon’s death as a tragic end to what had been a proud immigrant story. He said the loss extends beyond the family to the wider generation they represented.
- Location: Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia
- Time: shortly before 11 a.m.; alert at 10:48 a.m.; neutralized by 11:30 a.m.
- Fatality: Lt. Col. Brandon A. Shah, ROTC instructor
- Injured: two other U.S. Army personnel
- Suspect: Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, 36, deceased
- Prior conviction: 2016 guilty plea for attempting to support ISIS
- Prison sentence: 11 years plus five years supervised release; released in 2024
Filmogaz.com will follow developments as investigators release more information and officials provide updates.
