ROTC students practice military drills in Quantico High School on Nov. 16, 2011 (Sarah L. Voisin – The Washington Post / Getty Images)
By Mariane Angela March 15, 2026 at 9:00am
A heroic ROTC cadet fatally stabbed an ISIS-inspired gunman during a shooting inside a Virginia college classroom Thursday, stopping the attack and preventing further bloodshed. Authorities say 36-year-old Mohamed Jalloh entered a classroom on the Virginia campus and asked whether it was an ROTC class before opening fire, killing an instructor and wounding two students.
Investigators say the unidentified cadet rushed the gunman and stabbed him, ending the attack before it could escalate further, according to the New York Post.
Jalloh had previously been convicted of attempting to provide material support to ISIS and served time in federal prison before his release in early 2024, according to sources familiar with the investigation, the New York Post reported.
Federal authorities are investigating the shooting as a possible act of terrorism.
FBI Director Kash Patel said several courageous students confronted and restrained the gunman, stopping the attack and likely preventing additional casualties as law enforcement quickly responded.
Earlier today, an armed individual opened fire at Old Dominion University, leaving one person dead and two others wounded. The shooter is now deceased thanks to a group of brave students who stepped in and subdued him – actions that undoubtedly saved lives along with the quick…
— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) March 12, 2026
Old Dominion University Police Chief Garrett Shelton said one victim transported themselves to the hospital following the attack, while the two wounded students are members of the university’s Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program.
A Justice Department statement from 2016 said Jalloh had contact that year with both an ISIS operative and an FBI confidential source, during which he spoke about wanting to carry out a mass-casualty attack similar to the Fort Hood shooting carried out by Nidal Hasan.
In court filings, federal prosecutors urged U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady to impose a 20-year prison term.
Court documents show the judge instead sentenced Jalloh to 11 years in federal prison in 2017, and he was released from custody in December 2024.
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