Authorities have identified the instructor killed during Thursday’s shooting at Old Dominion University as Brandon Shah, a retired U.S. Army officer who had returned to the campus to help train future military leaders. The tragic shooting occurred at approximately 10:43 a.m. inside Constant Hall in Norfolk and has left the university community grieving the loss of a respected mentor and veteran.
According to law enforcement officials, the suspect, identified as Mohammed Jalloh, entered the building and walked down a hallway before approaching a classroom where an Army ROTC session was taking place. Authorities say the suspect asked people inside whether he had arrived at an ROTC class. After someone confirmed that it was an ROTC class, the suspect allegedly opened fire, fatally shooting Shah, who was leading the session.
Police quickly responded after receiving multiple emergency calls reporting an active shooter on campus. Officers secured the building and began evacuating students and staff while launching an investigation into the deadly incident. The shocking act of violence sent waves of fear across the campus as students and faculty struggled to process what had happened inside one of the university’s academic buildings.
News of Shah’s death has deeply affected many beyond the university. Voorhees University confirmed in a public statement that Shah was the son-in-law of trustee and alumnus Dan Martin. The university expressed its condolences and said the tragedy is felt deeply within its own community as family members and loved ones cope with the devastating loss.
Shah was a native of Staunton and began his military career by enlisting in the United States Army in 2003 as an aviation operations specialist. He later enrolled at Old Dominion University in 2005 and earned his Army commission in 2007. During his service, he became a senior Army aviator and accumulated more than 1,200 flight hours across multiple aircraft, including over 600 combat flight hours during deployments.
After retiring from active service, Shah returned to his alma mater in 2022 to serve as an instructor with the university’s Army ROTC Monarch Battalion. In that role, he mentored students pursuing military leadership careers and helped shape the next generation of officers. University officials and members of the campus community have described him as a dedicated educator, decorated veteran, and compassionate mentor. Authorities say the investigation into the shooting remains ongoing as detectives continue working to determine the suspect’s motive and gather additional details about the tragic incident.
