Outrage Over Norfolk DA’s Comments on University Shooting
Ramin Fatehi, the district attorney in Norfolk, Virginia, drew criticism for attributing the blame for the shooting at Old Dominion University to pro-gun rights lawmakers and judges.
Shortly after the incident on Thursday, Fatehi accused gun rights advocates in government of valuing guns more than the safety of children, specifically referencing the six-year-olds affected by violence.
In a rather charged statement, Fatehi went on to criticize the role of pro-gun lawmakers and the U.S. Supreme Court in the aftermath of a shooting perpetrated by ISIS-inspired gunman Mohamed Baylor Jallow, who tragically killed an ROTC instructor before being confronted himself. In a subsequent interview, he stood by his remarks, insisting he was speaking the “truth.”
While authorities described the gunman as an extremist who shouted “Allahu Akbar” during the attack, Fatehi maintained, “I absolutely stand by what I said. No matter how much gun control groups deny it, this is the truth.”
Fatehi further emphasized that regardless of the shooter’s ideology, having access to a gun increases the danger significantly.
Prosecutors had been focusing on the influence of pro-gun lawmakers after Jarreau, a former National Guardsman, forcibly entered a Reserve Officer Training Corps classroom at the University of Virginia, resulting in a shooting.
During this incident, Jarreau fatally shot Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, a former Army officer, before being killed by ROTC students. Two additional individuals suffered injuries as well.
“Unless there is a political commitment to confront the overwhelming power of the gun absolutist movement, we will continue to witness incidents of this nature,” Fatehi said at a press conference. He urged people to look beyond local authorities and direct their blame toward Congress for its unwillingness to implement effective gun control.
Fatehi’s campaign has received substantial financial backing from organizations supported by George Soros, including the Justice and Public Safety PAC and Democracy PAC, which collectively contributed over $650,000 to his campaign from 2021 to 2025.
His remarks have not gone unnoticed by supporters of gun rights. Many have expressed frustration online, with comments highlighting the irony in blaming gun control for a tragedy involving a student fatally confronting an armed attacker using a knife.
One commentator, while trying to restrain their anger, remarked that Fatehi might take offense easily. Another user conveyed disbelief over the implications made by shifting the blame onto gun rights amidst such circumstances.
