ODU shooting leaves 1 dead; gunman also dead, 2 injured

NORFOLK, Va. – One person was killed and two others were injured in a shooting at Old Dominion University on Thursday, and the gunman is also dead, police said.

Old Dominion shooting

What we know:

Gunfire was reported shortly before 10:49 a.m. inside Constant Hall on ODU’s main campus.

University police, Norfolk Police and emergency crews responded to the scene.

Police said three people were injured. Two victims were transported by emergency crews to a local hospital. A third person drove themselves to the hospital for treatment. During a press briefing, authorities confirmed that one of the victims had died. Police said they are working to notify the victim’s family before releasing additional information.

The other two victims are listed in stable condition.

Suspect identified

Dig deeper:

Officials also confirmed the gunman is dead.

On Thursday, federal officials confirmed to Fox News that the suspected shooter had been identified as Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, a former member of the Army National Guard, who was previously sentenced to 11 years in federal prison, after pleading guilty to providing material support to ISIL.

Old Dominion University canceled classes and operations on its main campus for the remainder of the day as officers secured the area.

Just before 12:15 p.m., the university issued an all-clear notification stating there was no longer an active threat to the campus community.

“Act of terrorism”

Suspect tied to ISIS:

FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X Thursday afternoon, saying that the shooting is being investigated as an act of terrorism. 

“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 wrote. 

Patel said that Jalloh was subdued by students at the university before he was able to injure others, and that their actions “undoubtedly saved lives.”

According to the Department of Justice, Jalloh, a former member of the Army National Guard, was arrested on July 3, 2016, for attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), now referred to as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

The DOJ says Jalloh tried to help procure weapons for what he believed was going to be an attack on U.S. soil committed in the name of ISIS. 

READ MORE: Old Dominion University attacker had past ties to ISIS

The government says Jalloh also tried to provide money to help individuals looking to join ISIS.

Jalloh, a resident of Sterling, Va., was initially introduced to the jihadist group in March 2016, the DOJ says. They say Jalloh met with members of the terrorist organization, along with an undercover FBI agent as the group was plotting an attack in the U.S. 

Jalloh and the FBI agent met two more times in April and May, where he told the agent that he had recently met with members of ISIS during a six-month trip to Nigeria. When Jalloh returned to the U.S., one of the ISIS members he met introduced him to the undercover agent.

Officials said Jalloh told the source that he had “thought about conducting an attack all the time, and that he was close to doing so at one point,” like the 2009 attack at Fort Hood in Texas that killed 13 and wounded 32 others.

Federal officials arrested Jalloh in July 2016, after purchasing a rifle at a gun dealership in northern Virginia. He was arrested the following day and the FBI seized the weapon.

Jalloh was charged with attempting to provide material support and resources to ISIL. 

Victim identified

ROTC leader:

The victim killed in a shooting at Old Dominion University has been identified as Lieutenant Colonel Brandon A. Shah, a military science professor and ROTC instructor at the school. 

He was reportedly killed inside his classroom by the gunman.

Shah is listed on the university’s website as a professor of military science in ODU’s Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps and served as the department chair. 

They say Shah was a Virginia native who joined the Army in 2003 as an Aviation Operations Specialist. He was also a graduate of ODU himself, and also earned an MBA from the University of Georgia, and a master’s from the University of Kansas.

Local leaders react

What they’re saying:

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger said she is monitoring the situation closely.

“I have spoken with university leadership. My Administration remains in close contact with local emergency responders as state support is being mobilized to assist ODU and Norfolk,” she said.

U.S. Sen. Mark Warner also issued a statement.

“I’m closely monitoring the reports of a shooting at Old Dominion University, and am grateful to our first responders. Please follow all guidance from local law enforcement. I’m keeping the students and the community in my thoughts.”

The university posted an all-clear notification just before 12:15 p.m. “The emergency at Constant Hall has ended. There is no longer an active threat to the campus community,” the message said.

Old Dominion University shooting: 2 injured, suspect dead after opening fire on campus, officials say (Old Dominion University)

Investigation continues 

Big picture view:

The FBI released a statement Thursday night, saying they are still looking for answers on what led up to the shooting. 

“The shooting at ODU is a tragic event for our community. We mourn the loss of life while we acknowledge the students who showed extreme bravery and courage by stopping the shooter and preventing further loss of life. The FBI is going to dig in and track down every single lead as we work alongside our partners to find answers,” the agency wrote in a post on X. 

Agents were seen at the suspect’s home in Sterling late Thursday night. It’s not clear what they were looking for, but FOX 5 has asked for comment.

Anyone with information is asked to submit tips to http://fbi.gov/ODUshooting or http://tips.fbi.gov.