A US man has been charged with supplying the gun used in the Old Dominion University shooting that left one person dead and two others injured. Kenya Chapman faces federal charges in connection with the sale of the weapon to Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, who opened fire in a classroom on Thursday.
The Department of Justice announced the charges on Friday. Chapman is accused of making a false statement during a firearm purchase and engaging in the business of firearms dealing without a licence. Jalloh, a former army national guard member, was barred from possessing a gun because of a previous felony conviction for attempting to aid the Islamic State group.
According to court papers, 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. He said he met Jalloh at work and that Jalloh claimed he needed the gun for protection as a delivery driver. Chapman admitted he knew Jalloh had spent time in prison but denied knowing about the felony conviction, adding he had no idea Jalloh would commit the attack.
The gun used in the attack had an obliterated serial number. Jalloh, who pleaded guilty in 2016 to attempting to aid IS, was released from federal custody in December 2024 and was on supervised release. He was subdued and killed by ROTC students, who were praised by the FBI for preventing further harm. The affidavit stated Jalloh twice asked those in the room to confirm it was an ROTC event before opening fire.
The victim was named as Lt Col Brandon Shah, a 42-year-old from Chesapeake who leaves behind a spouse and a child. Shah, who had piloted helicopters over Iraq, Afghanistan and eastern Europe, was an ROTC student at ODU before returning as a leader in 2022. The university's president, Brian Hemphill, paid tribute, saying Shah embodied "what it means to be a devoted family man, a revered leader and heroic protector even in his final moments."
