Editorial: Amid our sorrow, ODU attack highlights need for awareness, readiness

The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press Editorial Board, The Virginian-Pilot on Mar 17, 2026

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A Virginia man previously convicted of terrorism charges opened fire in an Old Dominion University classroom on Thursday morning, killing one person and wounding two others, plunging our region into mourning. Were it not for the swift, courageous action of students who ended his life, this tragedy could have been much worse.

Details are coming to light, though questions remain, and federal authorities should be forthcoming with what they learn in the coming days. For now, our focus should be on comforting the family and friends of the victims, the care and wellbeing of the ODU community, and the need for greater precautions throughout a military region at a time when international conflict makes Hampton Roads an attractive target for violent extremists.

Investigators say that an ROTC class at Constant Hall in Norfolk was interrupted by a gunman who first confirmed that students there were part of the military training program and then began shooting.

Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, the head of the ODU ROTC program and a professor of military science, was fatally wounded, and two students were injured. Members of the class bravely engaged and killed the shooter, later identified as Mohamed Bailor Jalloh.

Shah was a decorated Army officer who served tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, and was awarded two Bronze Stars. He was an ODU alumnus who returned to his alma mater to train future generations of military leaders, and his death is an immense loss to our community, the university and our nation.

Jalloh was the opposite. A former Army Reservist, he traveled overseas in 2016 in an aborted attempt to join the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, also known as ISIL or ISIS. According to the Department of Justice, he returned to the United States and purchased an AR-15 at a Sterling gun store with the intention of attacking an Independence Day parade.

Instead he was arrested and pleaded guilty in October 2016 to attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. Sentenced to 11 years in prison, he was released in December 2024 after serving fewer than eight.

His early release, apparently due to completing a drug treatment program in prison, is among the issues that will need further exploration. It was reported Friday that the firearm was stolen and sold to him illegally. Was he again in contact with foreign terrorists? Was he on the radar of federal or state authorities, including counterterrorism units? Those answers are needed.

What’s already clear, though, is that this attack sends an urgent and unmistakable warning about the need for greater awareness and readiness. Our region has unique appeal to dangerous people eager to target an area critical to the nation’s defense. As home to some of the nation’s most important military installations, Hampton Roads should be on alert.

That’s not alarmist. Rather, it’s a practical and safety-first approach at a time when the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran has already inspired domestic terror attacks.

On March 1, a gunman wearing clothing with the Iranian flag opened fire in downtown Austin, Texas, killing three and injuring 15 others. And hours after the ODU shooting, a man whose family members were reportedly killed in an Israeli attack on Lebanon drove a truck into a Michigan synagogue; mercifully, the attacker was the only casualty.

In this environment, it is deeply concerning that FBI Director Kash Patel recently fired a dozen agents and staff focused on counterterrorism, and President Donald Trump fired the head of Homeland Security days after hostilities with Iran began. The need for experience in those critical offices is obvious.

While capable federal leadership is necessary, protecting our communities requires greater coordination across all levels of government as well as Americans being attuned to their surroundings and altering authorities when necessary.

Amid this tragedy, our region should be thankful for the selfless acts of those students who put themselves in harm’s way to protect others. As we await answers to the many questions that remain, we must understand this climate asks more of us all.

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