ISIS Supporter Released Early During Joe Biden Years Linked to ROTC Killing [WATCH]

A fatal shooting inside a Reserve Officer Training Corps classroom at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, has drawn renewed attention to the earlier sentencing of the suspect, who had previously been convicted of providing material support to the Islamic State, as reported by Fox News.

Authorities say Mohamed Jalloh, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Sierra Leone, carried out the attack Thursday after entering a classroom and confirming it was an ROTC class before opening fire.

Old Dominion University shooter Mohamed Jalloh:

-Born in Sierra Leone
-Became a naturalized US citizen
-Radicalized by al-Qaeda
-Convicted for providing material support to ISIS
-Sentenced to 11 years in prison
-Released from prison early under Biden

Now watch how quickly this… pic.twitter.com/byefxCyEIa

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) March 12, 2026

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According to investigators, the gunfire killed Lt. Col. Brandon Shah. Officials said ROTC cadets in the classroom confronted the suspect and physically subdued him.

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The FBI’s Norfolk Field Office said the cadets’ response stopped the attack and resulted in Jalloh’s death.

The suspect’s background quickly came under scrutiny after court records revealed he had previously been convicted on federal terrorism-related charges.

Records show Jalloh was arrested in 2016 for providing material support to ISIS. Federal prosecutors had sought a 20-year prison sentence in the case, which would have amounted to the statutory maximum penalty.

Biden DOJ freed ISIS supporter Mohamed Jalloh early in 2024.
Yesterday he walked into an ROTC class at Old Dominion, yelled “Allahu Akbar,” and murdered Lt. Col. Brandon Shah.

An American hero ROTC student had to stab the terrorist to death to stop him.

This is on… pic.twitter.com/ged6Q9B2MI

— CONSTITUTIONAL PATRIOT (@Constitustion) March 13, 2026

Instead, Senior U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady of the Eastern District of Virginia sentenced Jalloh to 132 months in prison, roughly 11 years.

Jalloh was ultimately released in 2024 after completing the sentence.

“The horrific tragedy that occurred today on ODU’s campus never should have happened,” Rep. Jennifer Kiggans, R-Va., said following the attack.

BREAKING: DOJ has just hit the man who sold the firearm to Old Dominion University shooter Mohamed Jalloh with FELONY CHARGES

Kenya Chapman admitted to federal agents he STOLE the firearm out of a car in Virginia before selling it to Jalloh, who was convicted of aiding ISIS… pic.twitter.com/Qf4CkbI6SR

— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) March 13, 2026

Court documents describe the circumstances surrounding the original terrorism case.

Prosecutors said a now-deceased ISIS member overseas facilitated contact between Jalloh and someone Jalloh believed to be a fellow extremist supporter. That individual was actually an FBI confidential human source.

Investigators said Jalloh also traveled to Nigeria during the course of the plot.

According to prosecutors, the overseas terrorist encouraged an attack, while Jalloh informed the FBI source that he decided not to renew his enlistment with the Virginia Army National Guard after listening to lectures from al Qaeda figure Anwar al-Awlaki.

Al-Awlaki, a New Mexico native, was killed in 2011 during a drone strike ordered by President Barack Obama.

Prosecutors argued at the time that Jalloh fully understood the seriousness of his actions.

“The defendant was fully aware of what he was doing and the consequences of those actions. His only misgivings seemed to be a fear that he would waver at the critical moment,” prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum obtained by The Associated Press.

Judge O’Grady ultimately imposed the 132-month prison sentence, which also included requirements for mental health treatment and substance abuse testing.

After his release in 2024, Jalloh was placed under conditions that included a prohibition on contact with terrorist organizations and monitoring of his computer activity while on probation.

Former federal prosecutor William Shipley commented on the earlier case and sentencing in a post on X.

“Jalloh was sentenced in 2017 to 132 months in prison for providing material support to ISIS. The [government] had asked for a sentence of 240 months, the statutory maximum,” Shipley wrote.

“The Judge who imposed the reduced sentence was Senior Judge Liam O’Grady, in the Eastern District of Virginia, a GWB appointee. Judge O’Grady announced he was taking Senior Status in June 2020 — right in the heart of the start of COVID, meaning there was no chance that Pres[ident] Trump would be able to get his replacement confirmed.

“Joe Biden ended up nominating his replacement — Judge Patricia Giles.”

Shipley also referenced a ruling by Giles in 2024 involving voter rolls in Virginia.

According to Shipley, Giles ruled that Virginia had improperly removed noncitizens from voter rolls too close to the election and ordered that their registrations be restored.

Federal counterterrorism officials said they remain focused on potential threats following the attack.

Asked whether recent incidents indicate a resurgence of ISIS-related threats in the United States or whether past immigration policies may have contributed, a spokesperson for National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent pointed to comments Kent previously made after the start of the Iran conflict.

“As the Iran conflict continues to unfold, ODNI’s National Counterterrorism Center is engaged and operating at full capacity, 24/7. We are tracking developments in real time, assessing any potential risks to the homeland, identifying emerging threats, and providing timely, actionable intelligence to the White House, law enforcement, and interagency partners to detect and prevent attacks against the American people,” Kent said.

Kent also warned that officials remain focused on individuals with terror ties who entered the country in previous years.

He said counterterrorism agencies are “acutely aware” and working to address “persistent” threats posed by thousands of individuals connected to terrorist organizations who “poured into our nation unchecked during four years of open borders under Biden.”

“Constant vigilance is a must. Stay aware of your surroundings, and if you see something suspicious, report it immediately to local law enforcement. Every one of us has a role to play in keeping this nation secure,” Kent said.

A Department of Justice spokesperson said authorities currently see no immediate threats.

“There are no known or credible threats to the homeland at this time,” the spokesperson told Fox News Digital, adding that federal agents remain in a constant state of readiness to protect the public.

Fox News Digital reported that it contacted the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the FBI, and Judge O’Grady for comment.

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