Old Dominion University Shooting Incident

Following a tragic shooting at Old Dominion University in Virginia that resulted in one death and two injuries, a man has been charged with illegally supplying the firearm used in the incident. The shooter, identified as Mohamed Baylor Jallow, 36, opened fire in a classroom, killing ROTC instructor Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, before being subdued by ROTC students.

Kenya Chapman was charged recently for allegedly making a false statement related to selling a weapon to a convicted felon. According to an FBI affidavit, Chapman stole a .22-caliber gun about a year prior to the shooting and sold it to Jarreau this past week for $100.

Jarreau, who was barred from legally purchasing or possessing a firearm, had been convicted in 2016 for supporting the Islamic State and was sentenced to 11 years in prison. He had recently been released early from prison in December 2024 after completing a drug treatment program that allowed for early release, which is typically not available for inmates convicted of terrorism.

The FBI is investigating this shooting as a potential terrorist act. Meanwhile, Chapman had a past investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) regarding straw purchasing of firearms. Although evidence suggested he was buying guns to sell rather than for personal use, he was not prosecuted at that time.

Jarreau, originally from Sierra Leone, served in the Virginia National Guard for six years before being discharged in 2015. He held the rank of specialist and served as a combat engineer during his time in the military.

Authorities had previously arrested Jarreau in connection with a plot to obtain weapons for a potential ISIS-related attack on the U.S. mainland. He expressed remorse in a letter to the judge prior to his sentencing, claiming he had been manipulated by ISIS propaganda but had since rejected the organization and its ideals.