Overview

Mohamed Bailor Jalloh is a U.S. citizen and former member of the U.S. Army who pled guilty in October 2016 to attempting to provide material support to ISIS.“United States of America v. Mohamed Bailor Jalloh Affidavit in Support of a Criminal Complaint,” U.S. Department of Justice, July 3, 2016, 12, https://www.justice.gov/opa/file/873091/download. Jalloh served eight years in prison for attempting to aid the terror group and carry out a domestic attack in its name. He was released early in 2024.“Former Army National Guard Member Arrested for Attempting to Provide Material Support to ISIL,” U.S. Department of Justice, June 5, 2016, https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-army-national-guard-member-arrested-attempting-provide-material-support-isil; “Old Dominion shooter convicted of Islamic State ties released from prison just 2 years before attack,” Associated Press, March 13, 2026, https://apnews.com/article/jalloh-old-dominion-university-shooting-islamic-state-b257727b0167982fbffafae2eb8548fd. On March 12, 2026, Jalloh opened fire on a classroom at Virgina’s Old Dominion University, killing the instructor and injuring two students before ROTC students subdued and killed him.Jonathan Mattise, Olivia Diaz, and Michael Biesecker, “ROTC students at Old Dominion University subdued and killed shooter who left 1 dead, 2 hurt,” Associated Press, March 12, 2026, https://apnews.com/article/old-dominion-university-virginia-gunman-dead-e49b6d42f2b76d2ad92a2ee72833e9ad.

Jalloh reportedly radicalized while serving in the Virginia National Guard between 2009 and 2015.Rachel Weiner and Joe Heim, “Former National Guardsman accused of plotting attack to support ISIS,” Washington Post, July 5, 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/former-national-guardsman-accused-of-plotting-attack-to-support-isis/2016/07/05/317eb4f0-42c1-11e6-8856-f26de2537a9d_story.html. According to an FBI affidavit, Jalloh quit the National Guard after he began listening to lectures by deceased al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula cleric Anwar al-Awlaki. Media reports referring to Awlaki as a “hate preacher” allegedly prompted Jalloh to research the Yemeni cleric and listen to his online lectures, according to the affidavit. During conversations with an FBI Confidential Human Source (CHS) in the first half of 2016, Jalloh allegedly said that Awlaki explained that it was incumbent upon every able Muslim to resist America in Iraq and Afghanistan. Jalloh also said that Awlaki’s lectures helped him to “understand” that after ISIS announced its so-called caliphate, “this was the reality.”“United States of America v. Mohamed Bailor Jalloh Affidavit in Support of a Criminal Complaint,” U.S. Department of Justice, July 3, 2016, 6, https://www.justice.gov/opa/file/873091/download.

Following service in the National Guard, Jalloh traveled to Africa, where he stayed between July 2015 and January 2016. While in Nigeria, according to FBI investigators, Jalloh first established contact with an ISIS operative who later introduced Jalloh to the CHS.“United States of America v. Mohamed Bailor Jalloh Affidavit in Support of a Criminal Complaint,” U.S. Department of Justice, July 3, 2016, 4, 7, https://www.justice.gov/opa/file/873091/download. Jalloh told the CHS in April 2016 that he wished to carry out a domestic attack similar to the Fort Hood shootings carried out by Nidal Hasan in 2009.“United States of America v. Mohamed Bailor Jalloh Affidavit in Support of a Criminal Complaint,” U.S. Department of Justice, July 3, 2016, 7, https://www.justice.gov/opa/file/873091/download. Jalloh also allegedly spoke about targeting an unidentified person who had organized several “Draw Muhammad” cartoon contests.“United States of America v. Mohamed Bailor Jalloh Affidavit in Support of a Criminal Complaint,” U.S. Department of Justice, July 3, 2016, 9, https://www.justice.gov/opa/file/873091/download.

In May 2016, the CHS introduced Jalloh to an undercover FBI agent posing as an ISIS member.“United States of America v. Mohamed Bailor Jalloh Affidavit in Support of a Criminal Complaint,” U.S. Department of Justice, July 3, 2016, 10, https://www.justice.gov/opa/file/873091/download. During conversations on an unidentified mobile messaging service, Jalloh allegedly told the agent that it was best to plan an attack during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. He allegedly believed such violent operations were “100 percent the right thing to do,” and he prayed to Allah to make him a martyr.“United States of America v. Mohamed Bailor Jalloh Affidavit in Support of a Criminal Complaint,” U.S. Department of Justice, July 3, 2016, 8-9, https://www.justice.gov/opa/file/873091/download. Jalloh allegedly gave the agent $500, believing it would reach ISIS’s coffers.“United States of America v. Mohamed Bailor Jalloh Affidavit in Support of a Criminal Complaint,” U.S. Department of Justice, July 3, 2016, 12, https://www.justice.gov/opa/file/873091/download.

On July 1, 2016, Jalloh entered the Blue Ridge Arsenal gun store and firing range in Chantilly, Virginia. According to security footage and the store’s owner, Jalloh allegedly tried to purchase a Bushmaster AR-15, but did not have adequate identification.“United States of America v. Mohamed Bailor Jalloh Affidavit in Support of a Criminal Complaint,” U.S. Department of Justice, July 3, 2016, 13, https://www.justice.gov/opa/file/873091/download; Rachel Weiner and Joe Heim, “Former National Guardsman accused of plotting attack to support ISIS,” Washington Post, July 5, 2016, https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/public-safety/former-national-guardsman-accused-of-plotting-attack-to-support-isis/2016/07/05/317eb4f0-42c1-11e6-8856-f26de2537a9d_story.html. Jalloh returned the following day and purchased a Stag Arms 5.56 caliber assault rifle.“United States of America v. Mohamed Bailor Jalloh Affidavit in Support of a Criminal Complaint,” U.S. Department of Justice, July 3, 2016, 13, https://www.justice.gov/opa/file/873091/download. The FBI arrested him on July 3 and charged him with attempting to provide material support to ISIS. Jalloh pled guilty on October 27, 2016.“United States of America v. Mohamed Bailor Jalloh Affidavit in Support of a Criminal Complaint,” U.S. Department of Justice, July 3, 2016, 12, https://www.justice.gov/opa/file/873091/download. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison on February 10, 2017. In a letter to the court, alloh reportedly renounced ISIS and its “superficial and dishonest interpretation of Islam.”“Ex-Guardsman gets 11 years for Islamic State group support,” Associated Press, February 10, 2017, http://bigstory.ap.org/article/c575f77b512d49b4ac5cfa79012f1c05/ex-guardsman-be-sentenced-islamic-state-group-support.

Jalloh was released early from federal custody on December 23, 2024.“Old Dominion shooter convicted of Islamic State ties released from prison just 2 years before attack,” Associated Press, March 13, 2026, https://apnews.com/article/jalloh-old-dominion-university-shooting-islamic-state-b257727b0167982fbffafae2eb8548fd. The reason for his early release was not publicly specified. Inmates convicted of terrorism are generally not eligible for sentence reduction credits due to a 2018 prison reform law called the First Step Act.Jonathan Mattise, Olivia Diaz, and Michael Biesecker, “ROTC students at Old Dominion University subdued and killed shooter who left 1 dead, 2 hurt,” Associated Press, March 12, 2026, https://apnews.com/article/old-dominion-university-virginia-gunman-dead-e49b6d42f2b76d2ad92a2ee72833e9ad; “Old Dominion shooter convicted of Islamic State ties released from prison just 2 years before attack,” Associated Press, March 13, 2026, https://apnews.com/article/jalloh-old-dominion-university-shooting-islamic-state-b257727b0167982fbffafae2eb8548fd. Jalloh was placed on supervised release that would have run into 2029.“Old Dominion shooter convicted of Islamic State ties released from prison just 2 years before attack,” Associated Press, March 13, 2026, https://apnews.com/article/jalloh-old-dominion-university-shooting-islamic-state-b257727b0167982fbffafae2eb8548fd.

On March 12, 2026, Jalloh opened fire on an ROTC classroom at Virginia’s Old Dominion University (ODU). Prior to the shooting, he yelled “Allahu Akbar,” before shooting and killing the instructor, identified as Lieutenant Colonel Brandon Shah, and injuring two students.Jonathan Mattise, Olivia Diaz, and Michael Biesecker, “ROTC students at Old Dominion University subdued and killed shooter who left 1 dead, 2 hurt,” Associated Press, March 12, 2026, https://apnews.com/article/old-dominion-university-virginia-gunman-dead-e49b6d42f2b76d2ad92a2ee72833e9ad; Joe Marino and Caitlin McCormack, “ISIS-linked Mohamed Bailor Jalloh ID’d as Old Dominion gunman who sought out ROTC before opening fire,” New York Post, March 12, 2026, https://nypost.com/2026/03/12/us-news/old-dominion-university-gunman-idd-as-former-national-guardsman-convicted-of-plotting-attack-to-support-islamic-state/. ROTC students physically subdued Jalloh before one student stabbed him. It is unconfirmed if the stab wound caused Jalloh’s death.Elizabeth Wolfe, Holmes Lybrand, Hannah Rabinowitz, and Rebekah Riess, “Terror suspect in deadly Old Dominion shooting in Virginia was subdued by students, officials say,” CNN, March 13, 2026, https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/12/us/old-dominion-university-shooting-virginia.