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The FBI is investigating a shooting at Old Dominion University (ODU) in Virginia on Thursday as an act of terrorism after the suspected gunman was identified as a former Army National Guard soldier convicted of supporting ISIS.
Multiple federal sources confirmed to Fox News that the suspected shooter at ODU is Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, 36. Jalloh is a naturalized U.S. citizen from Sierra Leone, Fox News has learned.
Jalloh, who was convicted for his involvement in supporting the Islamic State, was released from prison approximately 15 months before the fatal shooting at the Virginia university.
A spokesperson with the Virginia National Guard confirmed to Fox News Digital that Jalloh served from April 30, 2009, to April 29, 2015, and he held the rank of specialist when he left with an honorable discharge. He served in the 276th Engineer Battalion, 91st Troop Command as a combat engineer, they said.
In 2017, Jalloh was sentenced to 11 years in prison plus five years supervised release for attempting to provide material support to ISIS, according to the Department of Justice. He was released from jail in December 2024.
He was originally arrested on July 3, 2016, after authorities said he tried to help procure weapons for what he believed would be an ISIS-inspired attack on U.S. soil and separately attempted to send money to support ISIS, according to the criminal complaint.
According to the Justice Department, Jalloh was compelled to leave the U.S. military after he began listening to the online lectures of al Qaeda cleric Anwar al-Awlaki.
The department also said Jalloh “praised” the July 2015 terrorist attack in Chattanooga, Tennessee, when a gunman opened fire and killed four U.S. Marines and a Navy sailor.
Jalloh also shared that he had been thinking about conducting an attack similar to the attack at Fort Hood, Texas, in November 2009, which killed 13 people and wounded 32 others.
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In a statement on social media, FBI Director Kash Patel said the agency is “now investigating the shooting as an act of terrorism.”
“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.
“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. In the meantime, please pray for the victims, their families, and the ODU community.”
