Authorities in the United States have confirmed that the suspect involved in the deadly shooting at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, was an American citizen of Sierra Leonean descent, identified as Mohamed Bailor Jalloh. The shooting, which occurred on March 12, 2026, killed one person and injured two others, although the suspect died in the confrontation.
The shooting happened in one of the classrooms where the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) members were present. Investigators say the 36-year-old walked into the room and opened fire on those inside, killing a military instructor and wounding two cadets.
According to officials, the gunman was eventually subdued by ROTC students who intervened during the attack. Their actions prevented further casualties before law enforcement secured the scene.
Authorities identified the attacker as Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally born in Sierra Leone. He previously served in the Virginia Army National Guard between 2009 and 2016.
Court records show that Jalloh had earlier pleaded guilty to attempting to provide material support to the extremist group ISIS. In 2017, he was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison.
However, he was released from prison in 2024 after completing a drug treatment program and was living under supervised release at the time of the shooting. Authorities say he had been taking online classes before the attack occurred.
Because of his past conviction and the circumstances surrounding the attack, the FBI has opened a terrorism investigation into the shooting.
The incident quickly drew political reaction in the United States. Former President Donald Trump addressed the shooting in a public statement on social media.
Trump wrote that the attack was carried out by “an individual previously arrested for providing material support to an Islamic State terrorist group” who had been released early from federal prison, adding that “this should have never happened.”
His remarks have added to an already heated debate in the United States about early prison releases, national security, and gun violence.
Authorities have also arrested a man accused of illegally selling the firearm used in the attack. Investigators say the weapon had been stolen and sold to Jalloh shortly before the shooting.
Meanwhile, the university community still grieves for the death of the ROTC instructor, who was described by his colleagues as a dedicated soldier. Classes at the university were temporarily suspended as security officials continued to investigate the incident.
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The shooting tragedy has once again highlighted security concerns in the United States, as well as the perennial problem of gun violence. To many people, the fact that the perpetrator was previously convicted in a terrorism case has added another dimension of concern to an already tragic occurrence.
