UPDATE: 3/12/26 at 5:08 p.m.: The person behind the fatal shooting at Old Dominion University has been identified as Mohamed Bailor Jalloh.
Jalloh, 36, was previously convicted of providing material support to ISIS, two senior law enforcement officials told NBC News just hours after the shooting.
Officials said that there is not currently a motive for the shooting, and an investigation into whether the incident had a terrorism connection remains ongoing.
Jalloh was previously arrested in 2016 for attempting to provide material support to ISIS, according to court documents reviewed by the outlet. He was accused of trying to help procure weapons intended to be used in an anticipated attack in the United States, as well as allegedly attempting to provide funds to individuals hoping to join ISIS.
He pleaded guilty to attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and was later sentenced to 11 years in prison. Jalloh was eventually released from prison in 2024.
Original Story:
One person has died and two others were injured following a shooting at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, on Thursday, March 12, and the gunman is also dead following the incident.
The university said in an emergency alert that the shooter opened fire around 10:49 a.m. in Constant Hall.
By 11:30 a.m., the school described the incident as an “active shooter situation.” The school also said that the shooter had been “neutralized” at that point in time. It is not currently clear how the shooter died.
ODU Police Chief Garrett Shelton said that two victims were taken to the hospital after they sustained injuries and they appear to be in stable condition, according to NBC News. Meanwhile, Shelton said during a news conference that a third victim found their own way to the hospital.
“One of the victims is deceased. And we’re working on getting in touch with the family at this point,” Shelton told reporters.
The victims have not been publicly identified, though WAVY confirmed that two of them are members of the school’s Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program.
“We can confirm that two members of the university ROTC program were shot and were taken to a local hospital to treat their injuries,” the U.S. Army Cadet Command told the station.
The university has also not revealed the identity of the shooter as of time of publication.
While no other details have been shared about those involved in the incident, the school said that there is no longer a threat on campus. However, they asked that people avoid the area where the shooting took place.
Classes were also canceled on the main campus for the rest of the day as an investigation into the shooting continues.
Officers with the Norfolk Police Department and the Washington Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives responded to the scene at the time of the shooting.
Once the situation was under control, University President Brian O. Hemphill thanked law enforcement for their quick response to campus and for ensuring the safety of the students and staff.
“The safety of our campus community is my top priority. We are deeply committed to safeguarding all Monarchs and ensuring a secure learning, living, and working environment at all times. We take this responsibility very seriously and remain vigilant in our efforts to maintain a safe campus,” Hemphill said in the statement. “I extend my thoughts and prayers to those impacted by the incident, as well as the entire campus and the broader community.”
Meanwhile, Governor Abigail Spanberger said she was closely monitoring the situation in an X post.
“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 wrote.
Spanberger continued in a follow-up post, “I encourage students, faculty, and community members to continue following guidance issued by local law enforcement. I thank all first responders on the scene.”
FBI Director Kash Patel also took to X to address the shooting, writing, “FBI personnel are providing assistance and working with local authorities responding to the shooting at Old Dominion University. We will update as able.”
