Old Dominion Shooter’s ISIS Past Emerges After Deadly Campus Attack That Left 1 Dead, 2 Injured

A gunman who opened fire at Old Dominion University in Virginia on March 12 has been identified as 36-year-old Mohamed Bailor Jalloh. The shooting left one person dead and two others injured before the suspect was subdued and later died, according to authorities. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) director Kash Patel said the agency is investigating the incident as an act of terrorism.

A Department of Justice (DOJ) press release said that Jalloh was a former member of the United States Army National Guard and was based in Sterling. Jalloh was arrested in 2016 in an undercover FBI operation. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison for attempting to provide “material support” to the foreign terrorist organization Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, also known as ISIS or Daesh.

Jalloh pleaded guilty on October 27, 2016. He testified in court that online lectures by Anwar al-Awlaki, a deceased leader of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, influenced him. Jalloh claimed to know how to shoot guns and praised the gunman who killed five U.S. Armed Forces service members in a terrorist attack in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in July 2015.

Jalloh also said he had been thinking about conducting an attack similar to the terrorist attack at Ft. Hood, Texas, in November 2009, which killed 13 people and wounded 32 others.

According to documents obtained by People, Jalloh has not been in the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons since December 2024.

In a post on X, Patel thanked a group of “brave” students who stepped in and subdued Jalloh. He said their actions helped law enforcement save lives.

“The FBI is now investigating the shooting as an act of terrorism,” Patel added. “Our Joint Terrorism Task Force is fully engaged, embedded with local authorities, and providing all resources necessary in the investigation. In the meantime, please pray for the victims, their families, and the ODU community.”

Patel said that during the shooting, Jalloh shouted “Allahu Akbar,” WAVY-TV reported.

Two victims were taken to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, where one died and the other remains in a serious condition, according to the Associated Press. A third person reportedly drove themselves to Sentara Independence emergency center and has since been released.

Addressing members of the community, Brian O. Hemphill, president of Old Dominion University, said the university recognizes members of the campus community who were deeply impacted by this “senseless act of violence.”

“We acknowledge the quick response and direct support from campus, city, state, and federal police officers and emergency responders. In the days, weeks, and months to come, we will continue to provide resources to our campus and our community,” Hemphill said.