Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, an ROTC instructor at Old Dominion University (ODU) in Norfolk, Virginia, was killed after a man previously convicted of ISIS-related crimes opened fire in a classroom on March 13. The incident left two students injured and is being investigated by federal authorities as an act of terrorism.
According to federal officials, the suspect, Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, 36, entered an ODU ROTC classroom and opened fire. Lt. Col. Shah died at the scene. Two students were injured. Other students subdued Jalloh, and the suspect died at the scene before emergency responders arrived.
FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed the incident is being investigated as a terrorist act. He called for prayers for the victim's family and the ODU community.
Lt. Col. Shah, 42, served many years in the U.S. military before becoming a reserve officer training instructor at ODU. He piloted AH-64 Apache attack helicopters during Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Atlantic Resolve in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Eastern Europe.
Military records show he had over 1,200 flight hours, including about 600 combat hours across three different aircraft types. He received over 17 medals, including the Air Medal of Valor and three Army Commendation Medals.
After years of service, he returned to Old Dominion University about four years ago as a professor of military science, training the next generation of U.S. Army officers.
According to friends, Shah was preparing for retirement and planned to build a permanent home in Virginia to spend time with his family. He is survived by his wife and a son in elementary school.
His former ODU classmate, Carlos Ortiz, told CNN that Shah was always dedicated to the military. “He always had a smile and gave his heart to the U.S. Army. You couldn't find a better soldier than Brandon,” Ortiz said.
A friend who served with Shah in Iraq said he would not be surprised if Shah was shot while trying to protect his students.
Suspect Mohamed Bailor Jalloh previously served in the Virginia National Guard as a combat engineer before leaving the service in 2015. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Jalloh later had ties to ISIS and in 2017 was convicted of supporting ISIS, receiving an 11-year sentence for attempting to provide material support to the organization.
Jalloh was released early in 2024 after completing a drug treatment program within the federal prison system.
Federal officials continue to investigate the motive for the attack and related security factors.
