"They Terminated the Threat": FBI Praises ODU Students Who Subdued and Killed Campus Gunman

FBI Director Kash Patel praises heroic students at Old Dominion University who "terminated the threat" by subduing and killing gunman Mohamed Jalloh.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 13, 2026, 5:05 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from The Blaze

Students Credited with Stopping Mass Casualty Event

In the aftermath of the deadly shooting at Old Dominion University’s Constant Hall, the FBI has released harrowing details regarding the end of the assault. According to FBI Director Kash Patel and Special Agent in Charge Dominique Evans, the threat was not ended by law enforcement, but by a group of students present in the classroom. These individuals moved to intercept Mohamed Bailor Jalloh after he opened fire, physically subduing him. Officials stated the students "rendered him no longer alive" during the confrontation, effectively terminating the threat before more lives could be lost.

FBI Investigates Jalloh’s "Deadly Ideology"

Director Kash Patel confirmed that the Joint Terrorism Task Force is leading the investigation, treating the incident as a deliberate act of terrorism. Jalloh’s background has become a primary focus; he was a former Army National Guard member who had previously served time in federal prison for attempting to provide material support to ISIS. Prosecutors from his 2017 case noted that Jalloh was deeply committed to an extremist ideology that framed the murder of U.S. military and civilians in religious terms.

A History of Planned Violence

The Blaze report highlights that Jalloh’s radicalization was well-documented by federal authorities long before the 2026 attack. During his initial 2016 arrest, he had expressed a desire to replicate the 2009 Fort Hood massacre. Despite being sentenced to 11 years in prison, Jalloh was released in 2024. The FBI is now facing questions regarding the level of monitoring Jalloh received following his release, as his transition back into society culminated in the targeting of a university campus.