ODU Urgent Alert: Active threat reported at Constant Hall. Follow Run-Hide-Fight protocols. Emergency personnel responding. Avoid area.
Corrected to exact text from ODU Messages & Alerts archive (3-12-26 (10:48 a.m.)).
ODU
ROTC instructor killed in a classroom attack; cadets subdued the gunman
AI-generated · every claim is source-linkedConfirmed Threat
On March 12, 2026, a gunman opened fire on an ROTC class in Constant Hall at Old Dominion University at approximately 10:43 AM EDT, killing one instructor and wounding two cadets. The assailant, Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, was subdued and fatally stabbed by ROTC students before police arrived. The FBI is investigating the shooting as an act of terrorism.
- Alerts
- 11
- Response
- 4 min
- Killed
- 1
- Injured
- 2
~24,000 studentsODU Urgent Alert
Official alert policy
Read when and how ODU says it will use ODU Alert: summarized, quoted, and analyzed.
Documented Timeline
Alert Sequence
11 messages in sequence · 11 verified verbatim
Due to an active shooter situation in which the shooter has been neutralized, all classes and operations on the main campus are suspended for the remainder of the day (Thursday, March 12, 2026). Avoid the area in and around Constant Hall where emergency officials continue to work. An update will be provided as soon as possible.
Corrected to exact text from ODU Messages & Alerts archive (3-12-26 (11:30 a.m.)).
O.D.U. Urgent Alert: This is an all clear notification. The emergency at Constant Hall has ended. There is no longer an active threat to the campus community. Avoid the area in and around Constant Hall where emergency officials continue to work.
Corrected to exact text from ODU Messages & Alerts archive (3-12-26 (12:05 p.m.)).
Verified verbatimODU Forever Monarch Strong messages & alerts archive (1:43 p.m. Friday closure)707 chars
O.D.U. Urgent Alert: In an effort to provide counseling services and other support for the campus and the community, Old Dominion University will be closed tomorrow (Friday, March 13, 2026) at all locations. Classes are cancelled, and operations are suspended.
On Friday, March 13, 2026, counselors will be on the main campus and available from 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. Student counseling will be available in Broderick Dining Commons. Faculty, staff, and community counseling will be available in Student Government Chambers at Webb Center. Food services will be available for those remaining in campus housing.
Continue to avoid the area in and around Constant Hall as the investigation is ongoing.
Exact O.D.U. Urgent Alert text from official ODU Forever Monarch Strong archive for 1:43 p.m. March 12
Shortly before 10:49 a.m., a gunman in Constant Hall opened fire. Two people were injured. Old Dominion University Police, Norfolk Police and emergency personnel responded; immediately. The gunman is now deceased. The injured were transported to a local hospital.
Old Dominion University has canceled classes and operations on main campus for the remainder of the day. Please avoid the area in and around Constant Hall where emergency personnel continue to work. Next update will be provided at 12:15 p.m.
Exact text from ODU official Messages & Alerts archive
As of 11:43 a.m., there is no longer a threat at Old Dominion University. Please continue to avoid the area in and around Constant Hall where emergency personnel continue to work.
As a reminder, Old Dominion University has canceled classes and operations on main campus for the remainder of the day, March 12, 2026. The next update will be at 12:30 p.m.
Exact text from ODU official Messages & Alerts archive
1:45 p.m. Continue to avoid the area in and around Constant Hall as the investigation is ongoing.
In an effort to provide counseling services and other support for the campus and the community, Old Dominion University will be closed tomorrow (Friday, March 13, 2026) at all locations. Classes are cancelled, and operations are suspended.
On Friday, March 13, 2026, counselors will be on the main campus and available from 8:00 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. Student counseling will be available in Broderick Dining Commons. Faculty, staff, and community counseling will be available in Student Government Chambers at Webb Center. Food services will be available for those remaining in campus housing.
Exact text from ODU official Messages & Alerts archive
Corrected 2026-07-19: restored double space after "Dining Commons." from official HTML ( + space).
Dear Monarchs:
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.
Due to the incident, Old Dominion University has canceled classes and suspended operations on main campus for the remainder of the day, March 12, 2026. Due to the ongoing investigation, please avoid the area in and around Constant Hall and continue to follow instructions from ODU Alerts. Family Information Center is available in Chartway Arena’s Big Blue Room.
Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to go to Broderick Dining Commons for lunch and counseling support. Talk Campus—a 24/7 peer support community—and other online counseling services and resources are also available for students at www.odu.edu/counseling-services. More information will be provided by the Division of Student and Campus Life. For immediate assistance, please call 757-683-4401. Additional updates will be shared through ODU Alerts and posted on the ODU homepage at www.odu.edu.
The safety of our campus community is my top priority. We are deeply committed to safeguarding all Monarchs and ensuring a secure learning, living, and working environment at all times. We take this responsibility very seriously and remain vigilant in our efforts to maintain a safe campus. I extend my thoughts and prayers to those impacted by the incident, as well as the entire campus and the broader community.
Sincerely,
Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D.
President
Exact text from official ODU president article; community-wide administrative email
Dear Members of the Old Dominion University Campus Community:
As tragedy struck the main campus earlier today when a lone gunman entered Constant Hall and opened fire in a classroom, we join together to pay tribute to our fellow Monarch who was lost and the two students who were injured. We recognize members of our campus and community who were deeply impacted by this senseless act of violence. And, we acknowledge the quick response and direct support from campus, city, state, and federal police officers and emergency responders.
In the days, weeks, and months to come, we will continue to provide resources to our campus and our community. I encourage all Monarchs to utilize the available services as they can truly make a difference during this difficult time. And, while this tragedy has changed us as individuals and as an institution, we will continue to focus on providing a safe and supportive environment, while also sharing updates as new information emerges.
With Deepest Sympathy,
Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D.
President
Exact community-wide administrative email from odu.edu/president during emergency aftermath
Dear Members of the Old Dominion University Campus Community:
Following the horrific tragedy and senseless act of violence that occurred in Constant Hall on the morning of March 12, 2026, we pay tribute to one of our very own, Lt. Col. Brandon A. Shah ’07, a dedicated Monarch, public servant, and true hero.
Above all else, Lt. Col. Shah embodied what it means to be a devoted family man, a revered leader, and heroic protector even in his final moments. He was a shining example for his students and all Monarchs.
Lt. Col. Shah was a beloved and respected leader at Old Dominion University. He personally guided students in the Army ROTC Monarch Battalion through his caring spirit and combat experience.
After enlisting in the Army in 2003, Lt. Col. Shah enrolled at Old Dominion University in 2005. He received his Army commission and graduated in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology. He fulfilled his dream to be an Army pilot, flying an AH64 Apache over Iraq, Afghanistan, and Eastern Europe during Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and Atlantic Resolve.
Lt. Col. Shah logged more than 1,200 hours, 600 of them on combat missions, in three aircraft. In his last position before joining Old Dominion University, he served as Director of Operations for the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade in Savannah, Georgia, where he oversaw day-to-day operations, training, modernization and long-range plans.
In 2022, Lt. Col. Shah returned to Old Dominion University to lead the Army ROTC Monarch Battalion, where he oversaw a nearly 50% increase in enrollment during his first year. As Professor of Military Science and Department Chair, he took immense pride in his students, particularly seeing the transformation they made “when they turn from being a student into being a soldier-leader.”
In 2023, Lt. Col. Shah was named to the Old Dominion University Alumni Association’s 40 Under 40 Class. His presence and impact were felt on campus from bringing back the University’s rappelling exercise at S.B. Ballard Stadium in 2023 to imparting valuable life lessons at commissioning ceremonies for new military officers.
Together, as Monarchs, we mourn the devasting loss of Lt. Col. Shah as we honor his life, which was marked by significant service and countless contributions. We express our deepest sympathy and heartfelt condolences to his immediate family, loved ones, dear friends, trusted colleagues, and all of those impacted by this horrific tragedy.
With Deepest Sympathy,
Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D.
President
Exact community-wide administrative email from odu.edu/president during emergency aftermath
Dear Members of the Old Dominion University Campus Community:
As Monarchs, we have experienced a range of emotions in the aftermath of a horrific tragedy that struck our campus a week ago today. I invite you, in your own way, to observe a personal moment of silence at any point today in reflection and unity of what it means to be Monarch Strong. With our collective and individual efforts to process and understand this senseless act of violence, we are grieving together. That important process will continue as we prepare to reunite this coming Monday (March 23, 2026) following Spring Break.
We continue to focus on honoring the life and legacy of Lieutenant Colonel Brandon A. Shah ’07. The family has announced a celebration of life service to be held this Sunday (March 22, 2026) beginning at 1:00 PM in Chartway Arena. This service, organized by the Shah family with support from Presidential Funeral Services of Portsmouth, is open to all Old Dominion University students, faculty, and staff.
The Army, in conjunction with Old Dominion University, is currently planning an on-campus event to be held on Thursday, April 2, 2026 with a traditional 21-gun salute, which is revered as the highest military honor and a symbolic ceremonial tribute. Event details, once finalized, will be shared with the campus community. I hope you will be able to attend what will be a touching tribute to Lt. Col. Shah, an Old Dominion University alumnus, who in every aspect of his life personified the Monarch values of integrity, leadership, and service.
I also want to recognize the cadets in the classroom. Their actions, under unimaginable circumstances, saved lives and embodied the very leadership and selflessness that Lt. Col. Shah instilled in them and so many others. They are true warriors and are to be recognized for their bravery and courage!
For many of you, this coming Monday will be your first time back on campus since the tragedy on March 12, 2026. It will be important to talk through this experience with each other. The University is offering in-person and online support resources, including but not limited to drop-in counseling in Webb Student Center. Please visit https://www.odu.edu/emergency/emergency-alert/support-resources for specific details.
As we prepare to come back together on Monday, we are also taking additional steps that reflect both the seriousness of this tragedy and our shared responsibility for one another’s safety. As part of our ongoing, comprehensive approach to campus safety and security that includes both established protocols and continuous evaluation, we will be asking all students to complete a brief questionnaire related to their personal history and campus awareness.
While this is not a routine step, it reflects our commitment to thoughtfully consider every appropriate measure that serves the well-being of our community. We will not hesitate to take additional or non-traditional steps when they are warranted to support the safety of our campus community.
Once again, I express my sincere appreciation to the entire community, which has responded to this horrific tragedy with an outpouring of compassion, resilience, and unity. We have rallied around the people and the University that we all care about deeply. And, with an independent review of safety and security to be conducted in the near future, we will have discussions about what else can or should be done, and I have no doubt that we will continue to learn and reflect together.
I would like to close by sharing with you one special aspect of Lt. Col. Shah’s remarkable story and long-lasting impact. When his assignment at Old Dominion University was set to conclude, he asked the Army to extend it, because he wanted to stay on our campus and continue to lead the cadets and the program he cared about so deeply. Without question, he made the ultimate sacrifice at and for our University, because this is the place he wanted to be, while leading and teaching the next generation. Indeed, that is the definition of a remarkable life grounded in sacrifice and service above all else.
As we move forward together, we cannot and will not simply move on. We will carry with us the incredible impact and lasting memory of Lieutenant Colonel Brandon A. Shah ’07. We will boldly and proudly honor his sacrifice, as well as the actions of the warriors who were in the room with him. We will strive to emulate the example they all set to be Monarch Strong, while we embark on a healing journey.
Forever Monarch Strong,
Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D.
President
Exact community-wide admin email from odu.edu/president
Message elements
How the first alert is built
To check this alert, Claude (an AI) read it in full 25 separate times, independently. Each read decided whether the message answers each of the six questions and gave a short reason. A final reviewer then weighed all 25 and wrote the plain-English verdict you see when you open a row. The score (for example 22/25) is how many reads agreed; the 25 individual reads are tucked underneath if you want to check them.
ODU Urgent Alert: Active threat reported at Constant Hall. Follow Run-Hide-Fight protocols. Emergency personnel responding. Avoid area.
Sourcepresent25/25
Final assessment
All 25 reads agree the source is present; the branded O.D.U. Urgent Alert tag clearly identifies Old Dominion University as the sender.
Who is sending the alert and who is responding. People act faster on a message from a clearly identifiable, credible sender, such as a named department, the police, or a branded alert system, than on an anonymous notice. A branded signature counts.
See all 25 individual reads
- present: The branded "O.D.U. Urgent Alert" signature identifies the sender.
- present: Branded "O.D.U. Urgent Alert" identifies the sender.
- present: Branded "O.D.U. Urgent Alert", identifying Old Dominion University as the sender.
- present: Branded "O.D.U. Urgent Alert" and notes "Emergency personnel responding", identifying the source.
- present: Branded "O.D.U. Urgent Alert", identifying Old Dominion University.
- present: The signature "O.D.U. Urgent Alert" plus "Emergency personnel responding" identify the source.
- present: Branded "O.D.U. Urgent Alert" identifies the sending source via signature.
- present: It is branded "O.D.U. Urgent Alert", identifying Old Dominion as sender.
- present: Branded "O.D.U. Urgent Alert" identifies the sender.
- present: Branded "O.D.U. Urgent Alert" signature, identifying the sender.
- present: Opens with branded tag "O.D.U. Urgent Alert" identifying the sender.
- present: Branded "O.D.U. Urgent Alert", identifying the sender.
- present: Opens with "O.D.U. Urgent Alert" and references "Emergency personnel responding", identifying sender and authority.
- present: The branded "O.D.U. Urgent Alert" signature identifies the sender.
- present: Branded "O.D.U. Urgent Alert" identifies the sending system.
- present: Opens with "O.D.U. Urgent Alert", a branded signature identifying the sender.
- present: Branded "O.D.U. Urgent Alert" identifies the sender.
- present: Branded "O.D.U. Urgent Alert" identifies the sender.
- present: Branded "O.D.U. Urgent Alert" identifies Old Dominion as the sender, plus "Emergency personnel".
- present: Opens with "O.D.U. Urgent Alert", a branded signature identifying Old Dominion University as sender.
- present: The "O.D.U. Urgent Alert" branded signature identifies the sender.
- present: Branded signature "O.D.U. Urgent Alert" identifies the sender.
- present: Branded "O.D.U. Urgent Alert" identifies the sender.
- present: Branded "O.D.U. Urgent Alert" identifies the sender via signature.
- present: Branded "O.D.U. Urgent Alert" identifies the sender.
Hazardpresent25/25
Final assessment
Unanimous that the hazard is present; the alert names an active threat reported at Constant Hall, a specific danger.
What the threat actually is. A complete warning names the specific danger, such as a shooter, a fire, a tornado, or a gas leak, rather than a vague emergency, because people decide what to do based on what they are facing.
See all 25 individual reads
- present: States the hazard: "Active threat reported at Constant Hall."
- present: Names the hazard, "Active threat".
- present: Names an "Active threat reported at Constant Hall", a specific threat.
- present: Names a specific threat, an "Active threat reported at Constant Hall".
- present: Names a specific threat: an "Active threat reported at Constant Hall."
- present: It names an "Active threat reported at Constant Hall", a specific threat.
- present: Names an "Active threat reported at Constant Hall", a specific threat.
- present: It names an "Active threat", and protocols, treated as a specific armed threat.
- present: Names a specific threat: an "Active threat reported at Constant Hall".
- present: Names an "Active threat reported at Constant Hall", a specific threat.
- present: Names a specific threat, an "Active threat reported at Constant Hall".
- present: Names an "Active threat" with Run-Hide-Fight; a specific threat scenario.
- present: Names an "Active threat", a specific threat (named active threat at a hall).
- present: It names a specific threat, "Active threat reported at Constant Hall."
- present: Names an "Active threat reported at Constant Hall", a threat with Run-Hide-Fight.
- present: Names a specific threat, "Active threat reported at Constant Hall".
- present: Names an "Active threat reported at Constant Hall", a specific threat.
- present: Names an "Active threat reported at Constant Hall", a specific threat.
- present: Names an "Active threat", and Run-Hide-Fight implies a violent threat.
- present: Names a specific threat, an "Active threat reported at Constant Hall".
- present: It names an "Active threat reported at Constant Hall", a specific threat.
- present: Names an "Active threat", and references shooter-style protocols, a specific threat.
- present: Names a specific threat: "Active threat reported at Constant Hall".
- present: Names an "Active threat" with Run-Hide-Fight; ODU context names the threat type as active.
- present: Names a specific threat, an "Active threat reported".
Locationpresent25/25
Final assessment
All reads agree a specific on-campus location is given, Constant Hall.
Where the threat is. Saying whether danger is in a specific building, a part of campus, or area-wide lets people judge their own proximity and choose a safe direction. Without a where, a warning is hard to act on precisely.
See all 25 individual reads
- present: Gives location "at Constant Hall."
- present: Locates it "at Constant Hall".
- present: Locates it "at Constant Hall", a specific building.
- present: Gives the location, "Constant Hall".
- present: States the location is "Constant Hall."
- present: It locates it "at Constant Hall", a specific building.
- present: Locates it "at Constant Hall", a specific building.
- present: It locates it "at Constant Hall", a specific building.
- present: Locates it "at Constant Hall", a specific building.
- present: Specifies "Constant Hall".
- present: Specifies "Constant Hall".
- present: Locates it "at Constant Hall".
- present: Says it is "at Constant Hall", a specific building.
- present: It locates it "at Constant Hall."
- present: Locates it "at Constant Hall", a specific place.
- present: Specifies "Constant Hall".
- present: Specifies "Constant Hall".
- present: Specifies "Constant Hall", a location.
- present: Says "at Constant Hall", a named building.
- present: States the location, "Constant Hall".
- present: It locates it "at Constant Hall", a specific building.
- present: Says it is "at Constant Hall", a specific building.
- present: Specifies "Constant Hall".
- present: Says "at Constant Hall", a specific building.
- present: Locates it "at Constant Hall".
Guidancepresent25/25
Final assessment
Unanimous that guidance is present; recipients are told to follow Run-Hide-Fight protocols and avoid the area, clear protective actions.
The protective action to take. A clear, specific instruction, such as shelter in place, evacuate, avoid the area, or run-hide-fight, drives faster and more correct protective behavior than describing the threat alone.
See all 25 individual reads
- present: Instructs recipients: "Follow Run-Hide-Fight protocols. Avoid area."
- present: Instructs recipients to "Follow Run-Hide-Fight protocols" and "Avoid area".
- present: Instructs "Follow Run-Hide-Fight protocols" and "Avoid area", protective actions.
- present: Instructs recipients to "Follow Run-Hide-Fight protocols" and "Avoid area", protective actions.
- present: Instructs recipients: "Follow Run-Hide-Fight protocols. Avoid area."
- present: It instructs recipients to "Follow Run-Hide-Fight protocols" and "Avoid area", protective actions.
- present: Instructs recipients to "Follow Run-Hide-Fight protocols" and "Avoid area".
- present: It instructs "Follow Run-Hide-Fight protocols" and "Avoid area", protective actions.
- present: Instructs recipients to "Follow Run-Hide-Fight protocols" and "Avoid area".
- present: Instructs recipients to "Follow Run-Hide-Fight protocols" and "Avoid area".
- present: Instructs recipients to "Follow Run-Hide-Fight protocols" and "Avoid area".
- present: Instructs "Follow Run-Hide-Fight protocols" and "Avoid area".
- present: Instructs "Follow Run-Hide-Fight protocols" and "Avoid area", protective actions.
- present: It instructs recipients to "Follow Run-Hide-Fight protocols. Avoid area."
- present: Instructs, "Follow Run-Hide-Fight protocols" and "Avoid area", protective actions.
- present: Instructs to "Follow Run-Hide-Fight protocols" and "Avoid area".
- present: Instructs recipients to "Follow Run-Hide-Fight protocols" and "Avoid area".
- present: Directs recipients to "Follow Run-Hide-Fight protocols" and "Avoid area", protective actions.
- present: Instructs, "Follow Run-Hide-Fight protocols" and "Avoid area".
- present: Instructs recipients to "Follow Run-Hide-Fight protocols" and "Avoid area", protective actions.
- present: It instructs "Follow Run-Hide-Fight protocols" and "Avoid area", protective actions.
- present: Instructs recipients to "Follow Run-Hide-Fight protocols" and "Avoid area".
- present: Instructs recipients: "Follow Run-Hide-Fight protocols" and "Avoid area".
- present: Instructs "Follow Run-Hide-Fight protocols" and "Avoid area", protective actions.
- present: Instructs recipients to "Follow Run-Hide-Fight protocols" and "Avoid area".
Timeabsent0/25
Final assessment
All 25 reads agree time is absent; the message carries no clock time, date, or recency cue.
When the message applies. A timestamp, the word now or immediately, or a phrase like until further notice tells the reader whether the danger is current and how quickly to act.
See all 25 individual reads
- absent: Conveys no clock time, date, or recency word.
- absent: No clock time, date, or recency cue appears.
- absent: No clock time, date, or recency cue appears.
- absent: No clock time, date, or recency cue such as "now" appears.
- absent: No clock time, date, or recency word such as "now" or "immediately" appears.
- absent: No clock time, date, or recency cue appears.
- absent: No clock time, date, or recency cue appears in the message.
- absent: No clock time, date, or recency cue appears.
- absent: "Active threat" is the hazard; no clock, date, or recency cue appears.
- absent: No clock time, date, or recency cue appears.
- absent: No clock time, date, or recency cue appears in the text.
- absent: No clock time, date, or recency cue appears.
- absent: No clock time, date, or recency cue appears in the text.
- absent: No clock time, date, or recency cue appears; "Active" is part of the hazard.
- absent: No clock time, date, or recency cue appears in the text.
- absent: No clock time, date, or recency cue appears.
- absent: No clock time, date, or recency cue appears.
- absent: No clock time, date, or recency cue appears.
- absent: No clock time, date, or recency cue appears.
- absent: No clock time, date, or recency cue is given, "Active threat" is part of the hazard not a time cue.
- absent: No clock time, date, or recency cue is present in the text.
- absent: No clock time, date, or recency word appears in the text.
- absent: No clock time, date, or recency word appears.
- absent: No clock time, date, or recency cue appears.
- absent: No clock time, date, or recency cue appears; "active" is part of the threat.
Impactpresent23/25
Final assessment
Present, with strong agreement (23 of 25). An active threat with Run-Hide-Fight protocols conveys an imminent, lethal danger; the dissent held the text names the hazard without stating injuries or what it could do.
What the hazard could do to the people in its path. Beyond naming the threat, a complete warning conveys its potential consequences or severity, such as that a tornado can level buildings or that a leak could be explosive, so recipients grasp how much danger they are in. Research on warning message content finds that a concrete impact statement helps people personalize their risk and act sooner.
See all 25 individual reads
- present: An active threat with run-hide-fight instructions conveys a clear danger to people.
- present: States an active threat and instructs run hide fight, conveying lethal danger to people.
- absent: Reports an active threat with run-hide-fight but states no explicit harm or severity beyond the name.
- present: An active threat with run-hide-fight conveys an imminent violent threat to people.
- present: It reports an active threat with Run-Hide-Fight protocols, conveying imminent danger to life.
- present: An active threat with Run-Hide-Fight protocols implies a serious danger to people.
- present: Reports an active threat with Run-Hide-Fight protocols, conveying clear life-threatening danger.
- present: Active threat with Run Hide Fight protocols conveys life-threatening danger.
- present: Reports an active threat and run hide fight protocols, conveying lethal danger to people.
- present: An active threat with run-hide-fight protocols conveys an imminent deadly threat to people.
- absent: It reports an active threat and run-hide-fight but states no injuries or what the threat could do.
- present: Reports an active threat with Run Hide Fight protocols, conveying a clear lethal danger to people.
- present: The active-threat Run-Hide-Fight framing conveys a life-threatening danger.
- present: Reports an active threat with run-hide-fight protocols, conveying serious danger to people.
- present: It reports an active threat with Run-Hide-Fight protocols, conveying a deadly danger to people.
- present: Declares an active threat with Run-Hide-Fight protocols, conveying lethal threat to people.
- present: Reports an active threat with Run-Hide-Fight protocols, conveying a clear threat to life.
- present: It reports an active threat and instructs run hide fight, conveying a clear lethal danger.
- present: An active threat with Run-Hide-Fight protocols conveys the lethal danger to people.
- present: Reports an active threat with run-hide-fight protocols, conveying a lethal danger to people.
- present: An active threat with Run-Hide-Fight protocols conveys a serious lethal danger to people.
- present: An active threat with Run-Hide-Fight protocols and emergency personnel responding conveys a life-threatening danger.
- present: Names an active threat with run-hide-fight protocols, which conveys a danger to life.
- present: Reports an active threat with Run-Hide-Fight, conveying lethal danger to people.
- present: Reports an active threat with Run-Hide-Fight protocols, implying lethal danger.
Systematic AI judgments with visible reasoning, not human-validated codings.
About this analysisContext
Background
On March 12, 2026, CCTV footage showed that Mohamed Bailor Jalloh parked his car on the Old Dominion University campus at approximately 9:40 AM EDT. At around 10:43 AM EDT, he entered Constant Hall and opened fire on an ROTC class, yelling 'Allahu Akbar.' He killed Lt. Col. Brandon A. Shah, 42, the department chair for military sciences and a retired Army officer from Staunton, Virginia, and wounded two ROTC cadets. ROTC students subdued the gunman and fatally stabbed him before police arrived at 10:47 AM EDT. The university issued a Run-Hide-Fight ODU Urgent Alert at approximately 10:50 AM EDT, minutes after the first 911 calls. By 10:50 AM EDT, it was determined the assailant was deceased. The all-clear was issued at 12:05 PM EDT. Jalloh, 36, was a naturalized US citizen born in Sierra Leone and a former Army National Guard member. He had pleaded guilty in 2017 to attempting to provide material support to ISIS and was sentenced to 11 years in prison. He was released from federal custody in December 2024. The FBI is investigating the shooting as an act of terrorism. The attack triggered copycat bomb threats at five Virginia universities the following day.
Analysis
Key Findings
ROTC students subdued and killed the gunman before police arrived, limiting the death toll
The entire active shooting lasted approximately seven minutes from first shots to the gunman being neutralized
The attacker had a prior federal terrorism conviction and had been released from prison 15 months before the attack
The shooting triggered copycat bomb threats at multiple Virginia universities the next day
Outcome
Lt. Col. Brandon A. Shah, 42, the ROTC department chair for military sciences, was killed after lunging at the shooter to place himself between the gunman and the class. Two ROTC cadets were injured. The gunman, Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, 36, was fatally stabbed (not shot) by ROTC students who subdued him. The FBI is investigating the attack as an act of terrorism; Jalloh had a prior federal conviction for attempting to provide material support to ISIS and was released from prison in 2024. Eight cadets later received Meritorious Service Medals and two received Purple Hearts.
Provenance
Sources
- Source
- News
- News
- News
- News
- News
- Official
- Official
- Official
- Official
- Official
Cite this case
Campus Alert Archive. "Old Dominion University: ROTC instructor killed in a classroom attack; cadets subdued the gunman." Incident of March 12, 2026. Added May 2026; last updated July 2026. https://campusalertarchive.com/case/old-dominion-university-shooting-2026-03-12/
Alert text quoted on this page remains the work of the issuing institution; the archive is a secondary source.
Tags
active-shooterterrorismfatalityvirginiarotcstudents-subdued-gunmanfbi-investigationpublic-university
Added May 2026Updated July 2026Via ingestion