A man convicted a decade ago of attempting to support the Islamic State group opened fire in a classroom at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, on Thursday, killing an Army officer and wounding two others before being subdued by students. The incident has ignited debate among federal officials and lawmakers about how Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, 36, was released from prison less than two years before the attack and what conditions governed his supervised release during the period leading up to the violence.

The Conviction and Prison Release

Jalloh pleaded guilty in October 2016 to providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization after a three-month FBI sting operation. Federal prosecutors had sought a 20-year sentence, citing his multiple attempts to join the Islamic State group and his efforts to acquire weapons for what they characterized as a murder plot targeting U.S. military personnel.

A federal judge sentenced him to 11 years in prison in 2017, with credit for time served retroactive to his July 2016 arrest. However, Jalloh was released from federal custody on December 23, 2024—significantly earlier than his original sentence would have indicated. Court documents do not clarify the specific reasons for the early release, though inmates can have sentences reduced for various reasons including good behavior or other factors.

At the time of Thursday's shooting, Jalloh was on supervised release, a status comparable to probation that was scheduled to continue until 2029. His status as a released offender under federal monitoring raises critical questions about the oversight mechanisms in place for individuals convicted of terrorism-related offenses.

The 2016 Investigation and Weapons Procurement

The original case against Jalloh emerged after he made contact with members of the Islamic State group in Africa in early 2016. Federal agents launched an undercover operation in which Jalloh, then 26 years old, confessed to an informant that he was contemplating an attack similar to the 2009 Fort Hood shooting that killed 13 people.

During the sting operation, Jalloh allegedly told the undercover agent that the Islamic State group had asked whether he wanted to participate in an attack. He attempted to donate $500 to the organization, though the money was directed to an FBI-controlled account instead.

Most significantly, Jalloh attempted to purchase weapons for the alleged plot. He first tried to buy an AR-15 assault rifle from a Virginia gun store but was denied the sale due to incomplete paperwork. He returned the following day and purchased a different assault rifle. Unbeknownst to Jalloh, prosecutors had arranged for that weapon to be rendered inoperable before he left the store. He was arrested the next day.

In a separate incident documented in court records, Jalloh traveled to North Carolina in 2016 with the intention of purchasing an AK-47, which he believed would be used in a plot to murder U.S. military personnel. When the gun store owner refused the sale, Jalloh proceeded to buy an AR-15 instead.

Sentencing Arguments and Defense Claims

The Justice Department's 2017 sentencing memo emphasized Jalloh's awareness of his actions and his deliberate attempts to acquire weapons and provide financial support to a designated terrorist organization. Prosecutors highlighted the seriousness of his intentions and the danger he posed.

Jalloh's defense team presented a starkly different narrative in their sentencing memo, characterizing his involvement with extremist ideology as a shallow search for identity and purpose rather than a genuine commitment to violence. They argued he demonstrated "gullibility, impressionability, lack of sophistication, and passivity" in his interactions with both ISIS operatives and the FBI.

The defense memo described Jalloh's background as marked by "war, trauma, violence, sexual abuse, and significant cultural and familial dislocation." His attorneys characterized him as a "bright, capable, hard-working, and kind man who had a promising future prior to his dalliance with extremism" and argued he had taken responsibility for his crimes.

Military Service and Background

Prior to his 2016 arrest, Jalloh served in the Virginia National Guard from 2009 to 2015 as a combat engineer. Military officials confirmed he received an honorable discharge and had no deployments during his service.

His trajectory from military service to federal conviction to early release illustrates the complex nature of radicalization and the challenges federal authorities face in identifying and monitoring individuals who may pose ongoing threats after release from custody.

Thursday's Attack and Immediate Response

When Jalloh entered an ROTC classroom at Old Dominion University on Thursday morning and opened fire, students in the room acted immediately. According to FBI Special Agent in Charge Dominique Evans, Jalloh shouted "Allahu Akbar" before the violence erupted.

The students in the classroom subdued Jalloh during the struggle. One student stabbed him during the confrontation, and he was killed before he could inflict further casualties. The exact cause of death remains unclear, though the student intervention prevented additional loss of life.

The victim killed in the attack was identified as Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, a professor of military science at the university's Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps. Shah joined the Army in 2003 and served in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, accumulating over 600 combat flight hours. He had received numerous awards for his service, including two Bronze Stars. Two other Army personnel were hospitalized with injuries.

Federal Investigation and Terrorism Classification

The FBI is investigating Thursday's shooting as an act of terrorism. The attack occurred during Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting and spiritual renewal. Court records from Jalloh's 2016 case indicate he had expressed the belief that Ramadan would be an ideal time to carry out an attack, adding another layer to the investigation's focus on his motivations.

U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans, who represents the congressional district neighboring Old Dominion University, issued a statement on Facebook calling the tragedy one that "never should have happened," raising implicit questions about the federal criminal justice system's handling of Jalloh's case and release.

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The Old Dominion University shooting has exposed significant gaps in how the federal criminal justice system manages individuals convicted of terrorism-related offenses after their release from prison. Jalloh's case—from his 2016 conviction for attempting to support ISIS, through his early release in December 2024, to Thursday's fatal attack—raises urgent questions about sentencing decisions, the conditions and oversight of supervised release, and the coordination between federal agencies responsible for monitoring released offenders. As lawmakers and federal officials scrutinize the circumstances of Jalloh's release and the supervision he received, the case underscores the ongoing challenge of balancing rehabilitation and public safety in the federal criminal justice system.