An investigative report released on Tuesday reveals that an Old Dominion University student who spent eight years in prison for attempting to aid the Islamic State was never asked about his criminal background before or after his readmission to the Norfolk, Virginia campus. Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, a former member of the Virginia National Guard, opened fire inside a campus classroom in March, killing an instructor during an attack targeted at a Reserve Officers’ Training Corps group.
The independent review, conducted by the law firm Cooley and released on Tuesday, details a series of critical communication breakdowns across state and federal systems. According to the findings, Jalloh’s probation officer failed to share his criminal background with university officials despite the gravity of his prior federal conviction. Investigators concluded that had academic leadership known about Jalloh’s history, they likely would have barred his return or sought his immediate removal from the institution.
Virginia state law restricts universities from inquiring about a prospective student’s criminal record prior to initial admission or readmission. However, institutions are permitted to run background checks after a student has officially enrolled or returned to campus. The report emphasizes that because state statutes force universities to rely on voluntary student disclosures, external law enforcement agencies bear a heightened responsibility to flag dangerous individuals for campus safety teams.
“Given that Virginia law requires universities to rely on student self-disclosure, it is even more important that other law enforcement agencies ensure that information that universities need to know to safeguard their students is shared with universities. This critical failure led to tragic consequences here,” the Cooley report states.
Federal Conviction and Early Release
Court and prison records show that Jalloh pleaded guilty in 2017 to providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization, specifically the Islamic State group. He was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison. His sentence was subsequently shortened after he completed an institutional drug treatment program, allowing for his early release before he eventually re-enrolled at Old Dominion University.
Federal and state authorities have faced mounting questions regarding how an individual with a terrorism-related conviction slipped through administrative and probation monitoring systems upon returning to a public university setting.
In March, months after securing his readmission, Jalloh walked into a campus building and located a classroom. According to investigative findings and law enforcement accounts, he asked occupants whether the gathering was an ROTC class. Once students confirmed it was, he produced a weapon and began firing.
Classroom Confrontation and Heroism
Cadets and authorities inside the room during the March attack immediately moved to neutralize the gunman. According to accounts provided by student cadets and law enforcement officials, individuals in the classroom stabbed and disarmed Jalloh before attempting emergency life-saving measures on an instructor who had grappled with the shooter.
The instructor, Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, sustained fatal wounds during the struggle. University leadership has publicly praised the actions of both Shah and the students who confronted the armed assailant, noting that their intervention prevented further loss of life.
Old Dominion University President Brian O. Hemphill issued a statement addressing the findings of the Cooley report and honoring the victims and responders. The report shed new light on the “extraordinary heroism and bravery” demonstrated by Shah and the cadets, according to Hemphill.
“The campus community has my complete assurance that we will act quickly to fully implement Cooley’s recommendations as we actively work to make our campus as safe and secure as possible,” Hemphill said in the statement.
Institutional Reforms and Next Steps
The release of the Cooley report has prompted university administrators to evaluate campus security measures, administrative oversight, and information-gathering policies. While state law limits pre-admission background inquiries, university officials are reviewing internal mechanisms for post-readmission checks and coordination with law enforcement partners across Virginia.
State lawmakers are also expected to review existing statutes governing background disclosures for higher education institutions during upcoming legislative sessions.
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