Army Veteran Instructor Killed After ISIS Sympathizer Attacks ODU

The attack at Old Dominion University left a seasoned Army aviator dead and raised urgent questions about radicalization, campus security, and how a naturalized citizen with extremist sympathies slipped into a position to open fire on an ROTC classroom. This piece lays out what happened, who the victims were, the attacker’s background, and why this matters for military families and anyone who expects campuses to be safe places of learning.

On Thursday morning, a 36-year-old man identified as Mohamed Bailor Jalloh attacked an ROTC classroom at Old Dominion University in Virginia. Law enforcement says Jalloh was a naturalized citizen from Sierra Leone and had expressed sympathy for ISIS, turning a military classroom into a scene of violence that shocked the community. The situation ended when unarmed students subdued him, and officials said those students “rendered him no longer alive.”

Authorities, including Norfolk FBI Field Office Special Agent in Charge Dominique Evans, reported hearing accounts that the gunman shouted “Allahu Akhbar” before the shooting, and the incident is being investigated as an act of terrorism. Shots struck three people during the attack, and the scale of the violence put a spotlight on how ideological commitments can quickly become lethal on American soil. The immediate response from students and campus personnel curtailed further harm but left lasting trauma.

One of the victims who died was Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, a professor of military science and a decorated Army veteran. Lt. Col. Shah’s record shows a long and honorable career, and his loss is being felt across the military and academic communities. His death reminds us that those who serve and teach our next generation of officers often put themselves at risk simply by showing up to do their jobs.

Lt. Col. Brandon Shah was identified as the instructor killed in Thursday’s deadly shooting at Old Dominion University, according to a Facebook post made by Voorhees University.

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“This tragedy is felt especially close to home for us, as the victim, Lieutenant Colonel Brandon Shah, was the son-in-law of Voorhees University Trustee and alumnus Dr. Dan Martin,” the university wrote. “We lift Dr. Martin and his family in our thoughts and prayers during this time of unimaginable loss.”

Shah’s military biography reads like the résumé of someone who dedicated his life to the force and to fellow service members. He enlisted in 2003 and rose to earn Army Aviation Senior Aviator wings, logging more than 1,200 flight hours and over 600 combat flight hours. His assignments spanned storied units including the 101st Airborne Division and the 82nd Airborne Division, and he served in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

Brandon enlisted into the Army in 2003 as an Aviation Operations Specialist. While enlisted, he obtained the rank of Sergeant before transitioning. On completing his enlisted service, which included service in the Active Duty Army, Army Reserves, and Virginia Army National Guard, Brandon graduated from Old Dominion University. Since his enlistment service to the present, he has deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and a rotation to Atlantic Resolve. Since his ODU commissioning, LTC Shah earned his Army Aviation Senior Aviator wings, flown more than 1,200 hours in 3 different aircraft, and completed over 600 combat flight hours.

Brandon last served as the Brigade S3 in the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, Hunter Army Airfield, Savannah, GA. Before Brigade S3, he served as the Squadron S3 in the 3-17 Air Cavalry Squadron overseeing modernization efforts for Attack Helicopters. Brandon’s command time exceeds 36 months which includes a command in A/1-3 Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, A/3-17 Air Cavalry Squadron, and B/603 Aviation Support Battalion. His service assignments include the 101st Airborne Division, 82nd Airborne Division, XVII Airborne Corps, United States Forces-Iraq, and 3rd Infantry Division.

His awards underline a career marked by bravery and professional excellence: Bronze Star (two awards), Air Medal with Valor, Combat Action Badge, and multiple commendations and service medals. Those decorations are not just decorations; they represent missions flown, decisions made under fire, and leadership in combat. The loss of someone with that background is felt as both a personal and institutional blow to the Army and to the students he taught.

Individual awards include the Senior Army Aviator Badge, Combat Action Badge, Parachutist Badge, and Air Assault Badge. In addition, Brandon has the Bronze Star (2 awards), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (2 awards), Air Medal with Valor, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal (3 awards), Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal (2 awards) and numerous campaign and unit awards.

Two other victims were struck: one has been treated and released, while another remains in critical condition. Those numbers matter because every casualty ripples out to families, colleagues, and communities, especially when the injured include military members and students training for service. Schools and law enforcement will face tough questions about prevention, vetting, and how to spot radicalization before it becomes deadly.

This incident also forces a larger conversation about open borders, vetting procedures, and ideological threats at home, themes that resonate strongly with conservative concerns about national security. The fact that the attacker was a naturalized citizen with alleged extremist sympathies will fuel debates about immigration policy and intelligence practices going forward. Communities need answers and policies that actually keep Americans safe without sacrificing liberties.

Editor’s Note: Democrats are fanning the flames and raising the rhetoric by comparing the administration to the Gestapo, fascists, and secret police.