A shooter, who is now dead, opened fire at Virginia-based Old Dominion University March 12, killing one person and injuring two others, before students stopped him, according to FBI Director Kash Patel. The FBI is investigating the shooting as an act of terrorism.
“The shooter is now deceased thanks to a group of brave students who stepped in and subdued him – actions that undoubtedly saved lives along with the quick response of law enforcement,” Patel said in a March 12 X post.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is working with local authorities and providing crucial resources in the investigation, he added.
“In the meantime, please pray for the victims, their families, and the ODU community,” he said.
The gunman has been identified by law enforcement sources as Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, according to CBS News. The outlet reports that Jalloh was a former Virginia National Guardsman who pleaded guilty in 2016 to “attempting to provide material support to the terror group ISIS. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison and was released early in December 2024, according to his Federal Bureau of Prisons record.”
According to FOX News, Jalloh is a naturalized U.S. citizen from Sierra Leone.
A law enforcement source, who was left anonymous in the report, told CBS News that the shooter walked into a classroom at the school’s College of Business and asked those present “if it was an ROTC class,” the outlet reported. “When someone responded that it was, the shooter opened fire, fatally injuring the class instructor, who was a retired Army officer.”
The New York Post reported that law enforcement sources said an ROTC student “fatally stabbed the crazed gunman,” preventing a worse attack. The Post reports that the class instructor was pronounced dead at the hospital and that, according to authorities, two other injured victims are in stable condition.
The university’s emergency alert webpage posted at 10:48 a.m. local time about an alert of an active threat on campus. An 11:30 a.m. update stated that the classes were suspended for the rest of the day due to “an active shooter situation in which the shooter has been neutralized” and a 12:05 p.m. alert gave an all clear notification. An alert at 1:43 p.m. stated that all classes are canceled for March 13, and that faculty, staff, and community counseling will be available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The university president, Brian Hemphill, expressed gratitude for authorities’ quick responses to assist the victims.
“Earlier today, March 12, 2026, Old Dominion University faced a tragedy on our main campus,” he said. “I am grateful for the swift response of our police officers, emergency management personnel, and our partners at the City of Norfolk who promptly assisted the injured.”
He emphasized that campus safety is his main priority.
“We are deeply committed to safeguarding all Monarchs and ensuring a secure learning, living, and working environment at all times,” he said. “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.”