A man has been charged by the US Department of Justice for allegedly selling a firearm to Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, who killed one person and injured two others in a shooting at Old Dominion University (ODU) on Thursday. Kenya Chapman faces federal charges of making a false statement during a firearm purchase and engaging in the business of firearms dealing without a licence.
According to court documents, Chapman told investigators he stole the gun from a car in Newport News, Virginia, about a year before the shooting and recently sold it to Jalloh. Chapman claimed he met Jalloh at work and that Jalloh said he needed the gun for protection as a delivery driver. Chapman admitted knowing Jalloh had spent time in prison but denied knowledge of his previous felony conviction.
Jalloh, a former army national guard member, was barred from possessing firearms due to a 2016 conviction for attempting to aid the Islamic State extremist group. He was released from federal custody in December 2024 and was on supervised release at the time of the attack. During the shooting, Jalloh allegedly yelled 'Allahu Akbar' before opening fire in a classroom attended by ROTC students and active duty service members.
The victim, Lt Col Brandon Shah, 42, was a professor of military science at ODU and a former ROTC student. He is survived by a spouse and a child. Two other individuals were injured in the attack. Jalloh was subdued and killed by ROTC students, whom FBI officials praised for preventing further harm.
The FBI is also investigating a separate incident in which a man of Lebanese origin was fatally shot after driving his vehicle into a Detroit-area synagogue, described as a 'targeted act of violence against the Jewish community'. Authorities have warned of potential threats from Iranian operatives and individuals inspired by extremist groups.
