The US Department of Justice has charged a man accused of 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. Jalloh, a former Army National Guard member, was previously convicted of attempting to aid the Islamic State (IS) group and was barred from owning a gun.
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 papers, Chapman told investigators he stole the gun from a car in Newport News, Virginia, about a year before the attack and sold it to Jalloh, whom he met at work. Chapman said Jalloh claimed he needed the weapon for protection as a delivery driver.
Chapman admitted knowing Jalloh had spent time in prison but denied awareness of his felony conviction. The affidavit states Chapman had no knowledge of Jalloh's planned attack. The shooting occurred during an ROTC meeting, where Jalloh twice confirmed it was an ROTC event before opening fire. He was subdued and killed by ROTC students, with FBI officials praising their bravery.
Jalloh had been released from federal custody in December 2024 after serving an 11-year sentence for the IS-related conviction and was on supervised release. The victim, Lieutenant Colonel Brandon Shah, aged 42, was a professor of military science and an ROTC leader at ODU. He leaves behind a spouse and a child. ODU President Brian Hemphill described Shah as a devoted family man and heroic protector.
Investigators noted the gun used had an obliterated serial number, potentially complicating tracking. The FBI confirmed no link to the ongoing war in Iran, as asked by a reporter. Separately, the FBI has warned of potential Iranian drone threats and investigated other violent incidents, including a vehicle attack on a Detroit synagogue and explosives at a New York protest.
