Old Dominion University Shooting: ODU Active Shooter Reported at Constant Hall in Norfolk, Virginia

Old Dominion University Shooting: A beloved ROTC instructor walked into his classroom at Old Dominion University on Thursday morning and never walked out. Within minutes, gunfire erupted inside Constant Hall, one student was dead, two more were fighting for their lives, and a group of brave ROTC students had done what authorities say prevented a far greater massacre.

The FBI has now confirmed what many feared — the shooting at Old Dominion University is being investigated as an act of terrorism. This is everything that happened, everything we know about the shooter, and every detail of the heroism that ended it.

What Happened at Old Dominion University Today?

On the morning of Thursday, March 12, 2026, a gunman entered Constant Hall at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia and opened fire inside a classroom.

The shooter walked into the class and asked if it was an ROTC class. When someone responded that it was — he opened fire.

Old Dominion University sent an urgent emergency alert at 10:48 AM warning all students and staff about an active threat inside Constant Hall. At 11:30 AM, the university sent a second alert describing the situation as an active shooter incident and confirming the shooter had been neutralized.

By just after noon, the university sent an all-clear notification — “The emergency at Constant Hall has ended.”

One person was killed. Two others were transported by ambulance to the Level 1 trauma center at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital — one of those patients later died. The gunman is also dead.

ODU President Brian O. Hemphill released a statement saying: “Earlier today, March 12, 2026, Old Dominion University faced a tragedy on our main campus. I am grateful for the swift response of our police officers, emergency management personnel, and our partners at the City of Norfolk who promptly assisted the injured.”

The university canceled all classes and suspended operations on the main campus for the remainder of March 12. Students, faculty, and staff were directed to Broderick Dining Commons for lunch and counseling support, with a Family Information Center opened at Chartway Arena’s Big Blue Room.

ODU Active Shooter Alert — What Students Were Told

During the emergency, Old Dominion University officials sent emergency alerts instructing everyone on campus to:

• Stay inside buildings immediately
• Lock classroom and office doors
• Avoid all areas around Constant Hall
• Follow all official instructions from ODU Alerts
• Do not leave until an all-clear was issued

Campus police and Norfolk Police Department officers responded immediately after the first emergency calls were received. The ATF also responded to the scene alongside local and federal law enforcement.

Norfolk Police Chief Mark Talbot addressed the public directly, stating: “We’ve learned nothing here today that makes us think that there’s anything to fear beyond what we’re dealing with here.” He confirmed there was no ongoing threat to the broader city of Norfolk.

Who Was Killed — Lt. Col. Brandon Shah

The victim who lost his life in the ODU shooting has been identified as Lieutenant Colonel Brandon Shah — a retired Army officer serving as an ROTC instructor at Old Dominion University.

Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger identified Shah publicly on Thursday evening, writing on social media that he “didn’t just lead a life of service to our country, he taught and led others to follow that path.”

Lt. Col. Brandon Shah was the class instructor in the ROTC session that was targeted. He was shot and fatally injured when the gunman opened fire. He died doing exactly what he had devoted his life to — serving his country and teaching the next generation to do the same.

Governor Spanberger expressed her condolences and said she was praying “for the victims, their families, and every Virginian who has been touched by this terrifying shooting.”

Two other victims were transported to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. Their identities have not been publicly released.

The Heroism That Ended It — ROTC Students Subdued the Shooter

In a moment of extraordinary courage, the ROTC students in that classroom did not freeze. They fought back.

FBI Special Agent In Charge Dominique Evans confirmed at a press conference Thursday evening that brave ROTC students in the room subdued the gunman — and one of the students stabbed Jalloh during the confrontation. The gunman was rendered fatally incapacitated by the students themselves.

“Brave ROTC members in that room subdued him, and if not for them, I’m not sure what else he may have done,” Evans said.

FBI Director Kash Patel also praised the students publicly, stating the suspect is dead “thanks to a group of brave students who stepped in and subdued him.”

Authorities confirmed the FBI knows of only one weapon used in the shooting. No explosives were found in the shooter’s vehicle or any other location.

Who Is Mohamed Bailor Jalloh — The ODU Shooter

The FBI identified the shooter as Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, 36 years old.

Jalloh is not an unknown name to federal law enforcement. His history with American authorities stretches back a decade — and it makes Thursday’s attack all the more chilling in hindsight.

Military Background

Jalloh served as a combat engineer in the Virginia National Guard from April 30, 2009 to April 29, 2015. He served in the 276th Engineer Battalion, 91st Troop Command. He held the rank of Specialist and had no overseas deployments. He was honorably discharged in 2015.

Radicalization and 2016 Terror Conviction

After leaving the National Guard, Jalloh began consuming online lectures by a deceased Al-Qaeda leader. He told an FBI source in 2016 that he had decided not to re-enlist specifically because of those lectures.

In 2016, Jalloh attempted to procure weapons and donate money for what he believed would be an ISIS attack. He traveled to North Carolina to buy an AK-47 — the gun owner refused to sell it. He then purchased an AR-15 at a local gun store on July 2, 2016, and was arrested the following day.

Critically — Jalloh had been speaking throughout this period to what he believed was a fellow extremist. He had actually been speaking to an FBI informant who had been monitoring him the entire time.

Court records show that Jalloh expressed his belief that Ramadan was the ideal time to carry out an attack on US soil. He had also stated in 2016 that he had been thinking about conducting an attack similar to the 2009 Fort Hood massacre — in which an Army psychiatrist killed 13 people and wounded dozens more.

Jalloh pleaded guilty in October 2016 to attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization — ISIS. In February 2017, he was sentenced to 11 years in prison by US District Judge Liam O’Grady.

At his sentencing, Jalloh told the judge: “I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life, but this mistake of giving any support to the violent and extreme organization ISIS has been the most devastating one I have ever decided to make in my life.” He apologized to the American military and to the people of the United States.

Release From Prison — and Thursday’s Attack

Under federal law, defendants must serve at least 85% of their sentences even with good behavior credit. Bureau of Prisons records confirm Jalloh was released in December 2024 — just 15 months before Thursday’s attack.

Investigators believe Jalloh had long been inspired specifically by the Fort Hood shooting. FBI Special Agent Evans confirmed Thursday that his attack appeared directly inspired by that 2009 event.

Investigators have so far found no specific mention of the ongoing war in the Middle East as a motivating factor. The FBI stated it is continuing to investigate all aspects of Jalloh’s recent activities, communications, and movements.

Before opening fire on Thursday morning, Jalloh shouted “Allahu Akbar” — meaning “God is greater.” Evans confirmed this at the press conference.

Jalloh’s sister, Fatmatu Jalloh, said she knew nothing about the attack and last saw her brother two days before. “I have no idea what is going on,” she told the Associated Press. “I know nothing. I don’t even know who to call.”

The FBI Is Investigating This as an Act of Terrorism

The FBI’s Norfolk field office has officially opened a terrorism investigation into the Old Dominion University shooting.

FBI Special Agent In Charge Dominique Evans confirmed: “I can tell you that we have confirmed reports that prior to him conducting this act of terrorism, he shouted, stated, ‘Allahu Akbar,’ and he was formally a subject of a FBI investigation into material supporting terrorism.”

FBI Director Kash Patel — who had stated just one day earlier that the FBI was working around the clock to impose real costs on those who target Americans — confirmed the terrorism investigation publicly and praised the ROTC students whose bravery ended the attack.

The FBI said it is conducting “other investigative steps” into Jalloh and the specifics of the shooting, with analytical and tactical support dedicated to the investigation throughout.

What Is Constant Hall at ODU?

Constant Hall is one of the primary academic buildings at Old Dominion University. It houses classrooms for the university’s College of Business and hosts various undergraduate and graduate academic programs.

At the time of Thursday’s shooting, multiple classes were in session inside the building — including the ROTC class that was targeted.

The building is centrally located on the main ODU campus and is used daily by thousands of students and faculty.

Where Is Old Dominion University?

Old Dominion University is located in Norfolk, Virginia — a coastal city in the Hampton Roads region of southeastern Virginia.

ODU is one of the largest public universities in Virginia, serving approximately 23,000 students. The university offers more than 200 degree programs across multiple colleges and is well known for its ROTC programs, research facilities, and close ties to the US military — Norfolk being home to Naval Station Norfolk, the largest naval station in the world.

The campus includes multiple academic buildings, residence halls, a football stadium, and extensive research facilities spread across a main campus in the Ghent neighborhood of Norfolk.

Timeline of the ODU Shooting — March 12, 2026

How ODU Is Supporting Students

Old Dominion University has activated multiple support resources for students, faculty, and staff in the wake of Thursday’s tragedy:

• All classes and campus operations canceled for the remainder of March 12
• Family Information Center opened at Chartway Arena’s Big Blue Room
• Broderick Dining Commons open for lunch with counseling support available
• Talk Campus — a 24/7 peer support community — available online
• Online counseling services available at odu.edu/counseling-services
• ODU Alerts continuing to provide official updates

FAQs — Old Dominion University Shooting

Q1: What happened at Old Dominion University today? A gunman entered an ROTC class inside Constant Hall at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia on the morning of March 12, 2026, and opened fire after asking if it was an ROTC class. One person — ROTC instructor Lt. Col. Brandon Shah — was killed. Two others were injured and transported to hospital. The gunman, Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, was subdued and killed by ROTC students. The FBI is investigating the attack as an act of terrorism.

Q2: Who was killed in the ODU shooting? Lieutenant Colonel Brandon Shah — a retired US Army officer serving as an ROTC instructor at Old Dominion University — was fatally shot in the attack. Two other victims were transported to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital. The gunman, Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, was also killed by students who subdued him.

Q3: Who is Mohamed Bailor Jalloh? Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, 36, was a former Virginia National Guard combat engineer who pleaded guilty in 2016 to attempting to provide material support to ISIS. He was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison in 2017 and was released in December 2024. The FBI confirmed he was a prior subject of their terrorism investigation and that he shouted “Allahu Akbar” before opening fire on Thursday.

Q4: How did the ODU shooting end? ROTC students inside the targeted classroom subdued the gunman during the attack. One student stabbed Jalloh during the confrontation, and he was fatally wounded by the students themselves. FBI Director Kash Patel praised “a group of brave students who stepped in and subdued him.” The FBI confirmed only one weapon was used and no explosives were found anywhere.

Q5: Is Old Dominion University safe now? Yes. The university sent an all-clear notification just after noon on March 12, confirming the emergency had ended. Norfolk Police Chief Mark Talbot stated there was no ongoing threat to the city. The campus remains closed for the remainder of March 12 while the FBI investigation continues. Counseling and support resources are available for all students and staff.

Q6: Why is the ODU shooting being investigated as terrorism? The FBI opened a terrorism investigation because the shooter — Mohamed Bailor Jalloh — had a prior federal conviction for attempting to provide material support to ISIS, had previously expressed desire to carry out a Fort Hood-style attack on US military personnel, and shouted “Allahu Akbar” before opening fire specifically targeting an ROTC military class. FBI Special Agent Dominique Evans confirmed all of these factors publicly at Thursday evening’s press conference.

Q7: Was this connected to the war with Iran? Investigators have so far found no specific mention of the ongoing war in the Middle East as a motivating factor in Thursday’s attack. The FBI stated the attack appeared inspired by the 2009 Fort Hood massacre rather than current geopolitical events. The investigation is continuing.

Conclusion

A hero is gone. A campus is grieving. And a group of young ROTC students — the students Lt. Col. Brandon Shah was training to serve their country — showed the world exactly what that service looks like when it matters most.

The Old Dominion University shooting of March 12, 2026 will be remembered for the life it took and for the lives it could have taken if not for the courage of the students who refused to be victims. The FBI investigation is ongoing. The nation is watching. And Norfolk, Virginia is mourning one of its own.

All information sourced directly from CNN, NBC News, CBS News, WAVY News, the FBI Norfolk Field Office press conference, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger’s official statement, and Old Dominion University official communications as of March 12, 2026 at 2:00 PM EDT. This is a developing story — all updates will be added as new information is confirmed by authorities.