BREAKING: Old Dominion shooter Mohamed Jalloh shouted 'Allahu Akbar' as he opened fire: FBI

The dead Old Dominion shooter, Mohamed Jalloh, shouted "Allahu Akbar" right before he opened fire on students. Jalloh was previously convicted and sentenced for the crime of attempting to give ISIS material support. 

The FBI confirmed that Jalloh shouted the phrase right before firing the gun. "Allahu Akbar," which translates to "God is the greatest," is known to have been shouted by Islamist extremists during other terror attacks. 

FBI authorities also called the shooting an "act of terrorism." Jalloh, after fatally shooting the instructor in the classroom where the attack was carried out, was fatally stabbed by a student in the ROTC program at the school. 

FBI Director Kash Patel said of the shooting, "Our Joint Terrorism Task Force is fully engaged, embedded with local authorities, and providing all resources necessary in the investigation."

"The shooter is now deceased thanks to a group of brave students who stepped in and subdued him – actions that undoubtedly saved lives along with the quick response of law enforcement," he added.

A message from university President Brian Hemphill was posted in the aftermath of the shooting, and stated, "Earlier today, March 12, 2026, Old Dominion University faced a tragedy on our main campus. I am grateful for the swift response of our police officers, emergency management personnel, and our partners at the City of Norfolk who promptly assisted the injured." 

Jalloh was sentenced to 11 years in prison as well as 5 years probation in 2017 for attempting to provide material support to ISIS. However, he only spent 7 years behind bars. Jalloh "attempted to provide services by assisting in the procurement of weapons to be used in what he believed was going to be an attack on US soil committed in the name of ISIL," a press release from the Department of Justice stated at the time.