A deadly terrorist-linked shooting at Old Dominion University on Thursday has reignited questions about campus gun bans after an attacker opened fire inside an ROTC classroom before allegedly being stopped by a cadet who confronted him with a knife.
The attack occurred on March 12, 2026, inside Constant Hall on the Old Dominion University campus in Norfolk, Virginia. Authorities say the suspect, identified as 36-year-old Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, entered the classroom and asked whether it was an ROTC class. When someone confirmed it was, he opened fire.
A retired military officer, who was instructing the class, was shot and later died from his wounds. Two ROTC cadets were also injured during the attack but survived.
The violence was reportedly stopped by ROTC cadets who rushed the attacker and fatally stabbed him during the struggle, preventing further bloodshed. Officials say the cadet’s actions likely saved lives.
Terror-Linked Suspect
The suspect had a concerning history long before Thursday’s attack. Jalloh was a former member of the Army National Guard who had previously pleaded guilty in 2016 to attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State terrorist organization. He was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison in 2017 and was released inexplicably early in December 2024.
Federal authorities are now investigating the shooting as a possible act of terrorism.
The attacker is reported to have specifically targeted the ROTC class, raising further concerns about motive and whether the military affiliation of the victims played a role in the attack.
Anti-Gunner’s Immediately Blame the Gun
Since the attack, Norfolk’s Commonwealth Attorney Ramin Fatehi has blamed guns for the shooting at Old Dominion. The question is: what law would have prevented today’s incident?
Jalloh was a felon in possession of a firearm; he was previously charged with helping a terrorist organization. Reports say Jalloh was a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Sierra Leone in West Africa who was later radicalized. He was convicted to 11 years in prison for working with a terrorist organization and was then released from prison early.
The real question should be why he was out on the street at all.
Most importantly, ODU maintains a strict weapons policy that bans firearms as well as certain knives from civilian possession on campus. Students and teachers are effectively disarmed, while violent criminals can walk onto campus without a second thought about a campus ban.
Fatehi and other anti-gunners will look over all those facts and blame firearms and the cult of the gun.
Norfolk’s Soros-funded Commonwealth Attorney Ramin Fatehi blames Republicans and the “cult of gun absolutism” for the shooting at Old Dominion.
The suspect is reportedly a previously convicted supporter of ISIS. pic.twitter.com/Q2aYdcJUDI
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) March 12, 2026
ODU’s Weapons Ban
Like many colleges and universities across the country, Old Dominion maintains strict restrictions on firearms and other weapons on campus.
Under university regulations and the Virginia Administrative Code, the possession or carrying of weapons by anyone other than police officers is prohibited in academic buildings, residence halls, administrative offices, and university events.
The policy applies even to individuals who legally possess firearms or hold concealed carry permits. In practical terms, this means the campus functions as a gun-free zone.
Criminals, of course, do not obey such rules.
Carry Everywhere
AmmoLand readers know the only option is to carry everywhere that you can and always be prepared. The events at ODU and many other incidents highlight the insanity of gun-free zones and the necessity of armed citizens. The ROTC cadets who confronted the attacker did so at enormous personal risk, using the only means available during the chaotic moments of the attack. Their actions stopped the shooter before additional victims could be killed.
The incident highlights a hard truth about so-called gun-free zones: while they disarm law-abiding citizens, they do nothing to stop determined attackers.
When violence erupts, the first line of defense is often not law enforcement arriving minutes later, but the people already on the scene.
On Thursday at Old Dominion University, one of those people stepped forward. Because of that decision, the death toll was likely far lower than it might have been.
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