An independent investigation into a deadly March shooting at Old Dominion University (ODU) has concluded that federal officials never alerted the university about a returning student's previous conviction for attempting to support the Islamic State terror group. The report highlights a critical failure in information sharing that contributed to the March 12 incident, in which ROTC instructor Lt. Col. Brandon Shah was killed and two students were injured.
Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, identified as the shooter, reportedly yelled "Allahu Akbar" before opening fire in an ROTC classroom. He had been convicted in 2016 for attempting to provide material support to ISIS, with a plot aimed at targeting U.S. military personnel. Despite this conviction, neither his federal probation officer, the FBI, nor any state or federal agency notified ODU of his criminal history. The university-commissioned report stated, "Had ODU known about Jalloh’s criminal history, it is highly likely that ODU would have sought his removal from campus due to the risk he posed, particularly to military-affiliated individuals."
The FBI stated that it is not the agency responsible for notifying colleges about individuals' criminal histories, describing it as a "shared responsibility across state, local, federal and community partners." The bureau noted that Jalloh's terrorism-related convictions were publicly disseminated through Department of Justice press releases in 2016 and 2017, with information still available on the agency's website.
ODU stated that a Virginia law enacted in 2022 prohibits public universities from inquiring about applicants' criminal histories during the admissions process. Consequently, the university removed such questions from its applications, relying on voluntary student disclosures or notifications from external law enforcement. Jalloh did not voluntarily disclose his 2016 conviction to ODU. Under his federal supervised release, his probation officer had the authority to require disclosure of his criminal record to third parties, but no such notification was provided to the university.
Jalloh, who had previously served in the Army National Guard, first enrolled at ODU as an undergraduate in 2007. After an academic suspension, he was readmitted in 2011. He later served eight years in prison following his 2016 conviction and was released in December 2024. He reapplied and was re-enrolled at ODU in 2025 as a returning student. The report noted that ODU's policy at the time only sent post-admission background questionnaires to first-time students, excluding readmitted individuals like Jalloh. Following the incident, ODU expanded its post-admission questionnaire to include readmitted students.
The report indicated that Jalloh's readmission application did not raise any concerns, listing a private residential address and showing no behavioral issues reported by professors in the months prior to the attack. The United States Probation and Pretrial Services for the Eastern District of Virginia did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
ROTC cadets at Old Dominion University described confronting and subduing the attacker during the March 12 shooting.