The FBI has opened a terrorism investigation into a shooting on Thursday (March 12) at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, that killed one person and injured two others, both U.S. Army personnel, FBI officials said.

The gunman, identified by law enforcement officials as Mohammed Bailor Jalloh, was also killed shortly after opening fire, according to the FBI. Special Agent in Charge of the Norfolk FBI Field Office Dominique Evans said Jalloh was subdued by a group of Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) students who intervened during the attack.

"There were students in that room who subdued him and rendered him no longer alive," Evans said during a press conference. "They basically were able to terminate the threat."

Jalloh, who had pleaded guilty in 2016 to charges of attempting to provide material support to ISIL, also known as ISIS, had been released from prison in 2024 after serving his sentence. Evans said the shooting is being investigated as an act of terrorism.

"We've confirmed reports that prior to this act of terrorism, he shouted 'Allahu Akbar.' He was also a former subject of an FBI investigation into providing material support for terrorism," Evans added.

The FBI said it has no information suggesting explosives were present in Jalloh's car or elsewhere. Evans confirmed the shooter had only one weapon on his person at the time of the attack.

CNN reported that Jalloh entered a classroom and asked if it was an ROTC class before opening fire. Two of the victims were hospitalized, with one later succumbing to injuries, while a third victim was treated at a separate hospital, according to the FBI. All three were affiliated with the university, but their identities have not been disclosed.

Jalloh previously expressed a desire to conduct an attack similar to the 2009 Fort Hood shooting, Evans said. There is no indication that the shooting was connected to the ongoing conflict between the U.S., Israel, and Iran, according to the FBI.

The incident highlights continued security concerns on U.S. campuses and the challenges of monitoring former terrorism suspects following their release from custody.

Posted by: AAngeles/NET25 News