Convicted ISIS Terrorist Shouts 'Allahu Akbar' and Kills Army Hero at Old Dominion University

Former ISIS Convict Opens Fire at Old Dominion University Shouting "Allahu Akbar," Kills ROTC Instructor

A 36 year old man with a prior conviction for supporting the Islamic State group opened fire inside a classroom at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, on Thursday, March 12, 2026, shouting "Allahu Akbar" before unleashing the attack.

The shooter, identified as Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Sierra Leone and former Army National Guard combat engineer, killed Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, a decorated ROTC instructor and Army helicopter pilot who had deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Eastern Europe. Two other military personnel connected to the ROTC program were wounded.

Jalloh had been convicted in 2016 of attempting to provide material support to ISIS, including attempting to send gift card codes to ISIS members, trying to donate $500 to the terrorist organization, and attempting to purchase an AK 47 for a plot targeting military personnel. He was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison and five years of supervised release. He was released from federal custody in December 2024.

He was rendered no longer alive.

ODU Police Chief Garrett Shelton confirmed that ROTC affiliated students in the classroom subdued Jalloh, and he died during the incident. The FBI is investigating the shooting as an act of terrorism. FBI Special Agent Dominique Evans and FBI Director Kash Patel acknowledged the case.

Lt. Col. Shah had previously attended ODU as a student and returned in 2022 as an ROTC instructor. Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger and U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll both responded to the tragedy. Emergency responders arrived within 10 minutes of the initial call.

ISIS Supporter Mohamed Jalloh Kills Army Instructor at Old Dominion University in Terror Attack

Jalloh served in the Army National Guard as a combat engineer from 2009 to 2015 and received an honorable discharge before his arrest. During his 2016 case, investigators found he had also attempted to purchase an AR 15 rifle, which was rendered inoperable before he left the store. Despite his conviction and known ties to ISIS, Jalloh was released from federal custody just over a year before the attack.

The Crusader's Opinion

A man convicted of supporting ISIS, who tried to buy weapons to kill American military personnel, was released from prison and within 15 months walked into a university classroom, shouted "Allahu Akbar," and murdered an American hero. Lt. Col. Brandon Shah survived combat deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Eastern Europe only to be gunned down in his own classroom on American soil.

The system failed. It failed Lt. Col. Shah. It failed those students. It failed every single American who expects that a convicted ISIS terrorist will not be set free to finish what he started. If a Christian walked into a mosque in Saudi Arabia and opened fire, every Western government would call it a hate crime within the hour. But when a convicted jihadist murders an American soldier on a college campus, we are told to wait for the investigation. Evil does not need an investigation. It needs to be stopped before it kills.

Take Action

• Contact your U.S. Senators and Representatives and demand reform of federal sentencing and supervised release for terrorism convicts. Find your representatives at congress.gov
• Pray for the family of Lt. Col. Brandon Shah and the wounded students. Share his name and his story so his sacrifice is not forgotten.
• Support veterans and military families through the USO or Wounded Warrior Project
• Support persecuted Christians worldwide and those fighting terrorism by donating to www.TheShepherdsShield.org
• Demand accountability from the Department of Justice for releasing convicted terrorists. Contact the DOJ at (202) 514 2000 or justice.gov/contact-us
• Talk to your church community about the rising threat of terrorism on American soil and organize a prayer vigil for the victims of the ODU attack