[Warning: Potentially Triggering Content]
Authorities say the man who opened fire Thursday morning on the campus of Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia — leaving one person dead and others wounded — had a disturbing history that investigators are now examining closely. And the details emerging are as troubling as they are heartbreaking.
According to senior law enforcement officials who spoke to NBC News on Thursday evening, the gunman who killed one at ODU has been identified as 36-year-old Mohamed Bailor Jalloh of Sterling, Virginia. Officials say Jalloh was also killed during the incident, which unfolded late Thursday morning inside Constant Hall on the university’s campus.
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Students and staff first received an urgent alert from the school at 10:48 a.m. warning of an active threat in the building. Just about a minute later, at approximately 10:49 a.m., authorities say the gunman opened fire. By 11:30 a.m., the university issued another update describing the situation as an active shooter incident and confirming the suspect had been “neutralized.”
But by then, tragedy had already struck. ODU Police Chief Garrett Shelton confirmed during a news conference that one victim did not survive the attack:
“One of the victims is deceased. And we’re working on getting in touch with the family at this point.”
Two other victims were transported to the hospital and are believed to be in stable condition. A third person also sought medical treatment on their own. Authorities have not yet released the identities of the victims, but per NBC News and other local reporting, two of those injured may have been members of the university’s ROTC program.
The US Army Cadet Command later confirmed that connection in a statement:
“We can confirm that two members of the university ROTC program were shot and were taken to a local hospital to treat their injuries.”
Investigators now say the suspect may have specifically targeted the ROTC class being held in the building — and that possibility becomes even more chilling when considering Jalloh’s past.
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Federal authorities say he previously pleaded guilty in a terrorism-related case connected to ISIS. In 2016, investigators said Jalloh attempted to provide funds to individuals trying to join the extremist group, formally known as the Islamic State. Court records from that case reveal that he sent gift card codes to someone he believed was connected to ISIS — but who was actually an undercover FBI employee.
Authorities said Jalloh once also traveled to North Carolina in an attempt to purchase an AK-47 as part of what investigators described as a plot to murder US military personnel. When that purchase failed, he later bought an AR-15 at a gun store before being arrested the very next day.
He ultimately pleaded guilty to attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison along with five years of supervised release. Federal prison records show he was released in 2024 after serving the required portion of his sentence. Now, investigators are examining whether Thursday’s violence was connected to those earlier extremist beliefs.
FBI Director Kash Patel said on social media that the case will be investigated as an act of terrorism. He also credited several students whose quick actions may have prevented the situation from becoming even more catastrophic. According to Patel, a “group of brave students who stepped in and subdued” the gunman likely saved lives.
Adding to the tension of the morning, Norfolk Public Schools later confirmed that students from nearly every high school in the city were visiting ODU’s campus for a tour when the shooting occurred. Officials say all of those visiting students and staff members were accounted for and safe.
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In the aftermath, the university canceled classes on its main campus for the remainder of the day and announced it will remain closed Friday as the community processes what happened.
ODU President Brian O. Hemphill addressed the campus in a statement emphasizing the school’s commitment to safety while acknowledging the pain this moment has brought:
“We are deeply committed to safeguarding all Monarchs and ensuring a secure learning, living, and working environment at all times. We take this responsibility very seriously and remain vigilant in our efforts to maintain a safe campus. I extend my thoughts and prayers to those impacted by the incident, as well as the entire campus and the broader community.”
For now, investigators from multiple agencies are continuing to piece together exactly what led to this devastating moment.
And for the ODU community, a day that should have been routine instead became one that will never be forgotten.
So sad…
To learn more about the impact of gun violence, visit https://www.apha.org/topics-and-issues/gun-violence.
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