NORFOLK, Va. — Old Dominion University released an independent report that reviewed the circumstances surrounding the deadly shooting that took place on campus on March 12.
The post-action review, conducted by law firm Cooley LLP, highlighted the lack of warning from authorities regarding Mohamed Bailor Jalloh's reenrollment at ODU and incomplete building security upgrades, while identifying several areas for improvement to prevent future incidents.
"The March 12 shooting was a targeted terror attack on ROTC students and their leader conducted by a single individual, which would have been difficult, if not impossible, to prevent once Jalloh was enrolled and possessed the privileges of an ODU student," the report reads.
Jalloh entered a Constant Hall classroom on March 12 and opened fire on Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, killing him. Two other ROTC students were wounded. Jalloh was killed by ROTC cadets who disarmed him during a violent struggle, with two cadets using knives to subdue him while he continued firing.
Watch previous coverage: Shooter re-enrolled at ODU under Virginia law that bans criminal history questions on college applications
Jalloh was first admitted to ODU in Feb. 2007 and attended through spring 2012. In 2016, he pleaded guilty to attempting to provide material support to ISIS and was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison. He was released from federal custody on Dec. 23, 2024, after completing a drug treatment program. He re-enrolled at ODU in summer 2025.
Despite a standard release condition requiring his probation officer to notify third parties of risks posed by Jalloh, neither the probation office nor the FBI ever warned the university, according to the report. Virginia law also prohibited ODU from asking about criminal history at the application stage.
Watch previous coverage: Old Dominion University students protest for a safer campus
Investigators concluded that if ODU's Office of Threat Assessment been informed of Jalloh's conviction, it almost certainly would have sought his removal from campus, particularly due to ODU's large military-affiliated student population.
The report noted that the heroism of Shah and the ROTC cadets who fought back against Jalloh prevented further loss of life. The response of ODUPD was also commended in the report, which said officers "immediately and effectively" handled the situation while overcoming logistical challenges.
The review identified several areas for improvement in ODU's emergency response, including a roughly 11-minute delay between the call for ambulances and the loading of Shah into one, coordination gaps in the university's emergency alert system and key access problems that prolonged the sweep of Constant Hall after law enforcement's arrival.
Watch previous coverage: Constant Hall safety concerns resurfaced in ODU Faculty Senate dispute with admin after deadly shooting
Investigators also found that ROTC cadets who subdued the attacker were held at Norfolk Police headquarters for approximately eight hours of interviews without access to hygiene facilities or a change of clothes, despite being covered in blood.
ODU has since committed $9 million over three years for campus security improvements, extended its criminal history questionnaire to readmitted students, increased police presence around ROTC activities and restricted access to Constant Hall, according to the report.
"ODU is in the process of updating its electronic key access across campus and should continue and look for ways to prioritize that process, understanding that the necessary technological infrastructure may lengthen the process. Where it is not possible to install electronic locks, ODU should work to prioritize the installation of classroom doors with functioning locks," the report reads.
Watch previous coverage: Officials hold a press conference on the ODU campus shooting that left one victim and the gunman dead
The report issued 12 recommendations, including that ODU work with federal and state law enforcement to establish protocols for notifying universities when terrorism defendants enroll, consolidate emergency alert authority within a single department and expand staffing in its Office of Threat Assessment, which currently operates with one full-time staff member overseeing 288 cases.
News 3 will reach out to the FBI and the probation office mentioned in the report to get their response to this review's findings.
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