The gunman who opened fire at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, on Thursday has been identified as Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, a former National Guard soldier who was previously convicted of supporting ISIS, according to multiple reports.

Jalloh, 36, discussed plans to carry out a Fort Hood-style attack with a government informant he believed was an ISIS terrorist, according to NBC4 Washington. Jalloh was sentenced to 11 years behind bars and an additional five years of supervised release.

He was let out early in December 2024, according to the New York Post.

Jalloh traveled to Africa with his father in 2015, where he met with an ISIS recruiter, according to NBC4. That same year, he went to Sierra Leone to stay with the group’s facilitator and planned to go to Libya to join the terrorist organization, but that never happened.

At one point, he ventured to Niger to join ISIS and even boarded a truck full of other terror recruits, but bailed out after 18 hours, according to NBC4.

Jalloh praised the gunman who killed five soldiers in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in July 2015, to the informant, according to the Department of Justice. He also sent $500 to a man he believed was an ISIS member, who was actually an undercover FBI agent.

He pleaded guilty in October 2015 to attempting to provide material support to ISIS.

Jalloh, who is a naturalized American citizen from Sierra Leone, stormed into a classroom on Thursday and asked if it was an ROTC course, according to the New York Post. When someone confirmed that it was, he opened fire, shooting the professor several times.

The professor, a retired military officer, died at the hospital, according to the news outlet. One of the students heroically stabbed Jalloh to death to stop him from harming others.

FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed on X that one person is dead and two others were wounded in the shooting.

The shooter, he said, “is now deceased thanks to a group of brave students who stepped in and subdued him – actions that undoubtedly saved lives along with the quick response of law enforcement.”

“The FBI is now investigating the shooting 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,” Patel said.

Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll said the injured victims were “Army personnel.”

The shooting occurred hours before an attacker rammed a vehicle into a Michigan synagogue and opened fire on the building.

FBI Director Kash Patel credited brave students with saving many lives by stopping a gunman who carried out a suspected terror attack at Old Dominion University on Thursday. 

“Earlier today, an armed individual opened fire at Old Dominion University, leaving one person dead and two others wounded. The shooter is now deceased thanks to a group of brave students who stepped in and subdued him – actions that undoubtedly saved lives along with the quick response of law enforcement,” Patel said in a social media post. 

Earlier today, an armed individual opened fire at Old Dominion University, leaving one person dead and two others wounded. The shooter is now deceased thanks to a group of brave students who stepped in and subdued him – actions that undoubtedly saved lives along with the quick…

— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) March 12, 2026

Patel said the students likely saved many lives.

“The FBI is now investigating the shooting 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,” he said. “In the meantime, please pray for the victims, their families, and the ODU community.”

The gunman has been identified as Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, a former Virginia National Guardsman who was convicted in 2016 for conspiring to provide material support for ISIS. The New York Post reported that a student member of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) stopped the gunman with a knife. Two ROTC members were injured during the attack. 

“We are deeply saddened from the active shooter incident that occurred at Old Dominion University on March 12, 2026. We can confirm that two members of the university ROTC program were shot and were taken to a local hospital to treat their injuries,” U.S. Army Cadet Command said in a statement. 

Old Dominion Police Chief Garrett Shelton said that there were three victims in the shooting. Shelton confirmed two victims were transported to the hospital for medical treatment, and the third victim went on their own.

Patel confirmed early on Thursday that the FBI was on the scene and assisting police in investigating the attack. 

As a result of the attack, Old Dominion President Brian Hemphill cancelled all classes. 

“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,” he said. “We take this responsibility very seriously and remain vigilant in our efforts to maintain a safe campus. I extend my thoughts and prayers to those impacted.