Authorities say the attacker — a former member of the Virginia Army National Guard previously convicted of attempting to aid the Islamic State — opened fire Thursday before being subdued and killed by ROTC students on campus.

The incident, now under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation as a possible act of terrorism, underscores concerns about the lingering security risks posed by individuals with past extremist affiliations after their release from prison.

Campus Violence Forces Immediate Security Reckoning

According to authorities, the gunman entered a classroom in the university’s business school building and began shooting, shouting religious slogans during the attack.

Dominique Evans, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Norfolk field office, said during a news conference that ROTC students acted with what she described as “extreme bravery and courage” to confront the shooter and prevent further casualties.

“The students subdued him and rendered him no longer alive,” Evans said, declining to provide additional details about the circumstances of his death but confirming he was not shot.

University police said the suspect was confirmed dead within 10 minutes of the initial emergency call, highlighting the speed of the confrontation and response.

Security Concerns Grow Over Attacker’s Past

Investigators identified the attacker as Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Sierra Leone who had previously served in the National Guard before becoming the subject of a federal terrorism case nearly a decade earlier.

Court records show Jalloh pleaded guilty in 2016 to attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State group. Federal authorities said at the time that he had attempted to purchase a rifle and discussed plans to conduct an attack similar to the 2009 shootings at Fort Hood.

During the earlier investigation, prosecutors said Jalloh attempted to donate money to the extremist organization and communicated with individuals he believed to be connected to the group.

He was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady and was released from custody in December 2024.

Campus and Military Community Shaken

The person killed in Thursday’s shooting was identified as Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, an ROTC leader who had returned to Old Dominion University in 2022 after serving as an Army helicopter pilot in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Eastern Europe.

Two additional people were injured in the attack, including one ROTC member who was hospitalized in critical condition. Another victim was treated and later released, according to hospital officials.

The university canceled classes and suspended operations on its main campus through Friday as authorities continued investigating the incident.

Old Dominion University President Brian Hemphill said the institution was working closely with law enforcement and expressed condolences to those affected.

Domestic Extremism Monitoring Faces New Scrutiny

The attack is now raising questions about the monitoring of individuals previously convicted of terrorism-related offenses after they complete prison sentences.

According to a 2016 FBI affidavit, Jalloh had expressed admiration for the ideology of radical cleric Anwar al-Awlaki and had discussed plans to target U.S. military personnel.

Authorities say the case illustrates the complexity of managing long-term security risks tied to radicalization and extremist networks.

The Norfolk region, home to the massive Naval Station Norfolk — the world’s largest naval base — also has a significant military-affiliated population, a factor that may intensify federal scrutiny of the incident.

Forward-Looking Security Questions

Federal investigators continue to examine how the attacker obtained his weapon and whether any additional contacts or influences played a role in the incident.

For security officials, the episode highlights the challenge of balancing civil liberties with long-term threat monitoring in cases involving former terrorism suspects.

While ROTC students prevented further casualties through rapid intervention, authorities say the broader investigation will likely focus on the gaps that allowed a previously convicted extremist to carry out a deadly attack on a U.S. university campus.

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Florida State University students and faculty are grappling with the aftermath of a terrifying shooting that took place on campus, claiming the lives of two men and injuring at least six others. The tragic event unfolded Thursday around lunchtime, leaving students scrambling for safety, some fleeing barefoot or leaving behind personal belongings in their desperate rush to escape.

By Friday morning, as a somber calm settled over the campus, memorials of candles and flowers sprang up in various locations, offering a quiet space for reflection. Students and professors began the difficult task of returning to campus, retrieving belongings and trying to come to terms with the horrific events of the previous day. A pair of vigils were scheduled for the afternoon to honor the victims.

Carolina Sena, a 21-year-old accounting student, vividly recalled the moments when the gunshots rang out inside the student union. “I heard some gunshots and then, you know, just blacked out after,” she said. “Everyone was crying and panicking. We were trying to barricade ourselves in a little corner in the basement, trying to protect ourselves as much as we could.”

Investigators identified the shooter as Phoenix Ikner, a 20-year-old who was reportedly a Florida State student and the son of a sheriff’s deputy. He used his mother’s former service weapon in the shooting, although the motive remains unclear. Authorities confirmed that the victims, who were not students, were fatally shot just outside the student union.

Ikner’s mother, a longtime member of the Leon County Sheriff’s Office, had kept the handgun for personal use after the department upgraded its weapons. Sheriff Walt McNeil said that Ikner, a member of the sheriff’s office’s youth advisory council, had been involved in several training programs with the agency, which made his access to firearms unsurprising.

As of Thursday night, Ikner was hospitalized with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. His condition remains unconfirmed by the hospital.

Aidan Stickney, a 21-year-old business management student, narrowly avoided becoming a victim of the shooting. He had been running late to class when he saw the shooter approach a man with a shotgun. The weapon jammed, and the shooter quickly switched to a handgun, opening fire on a woman. Stickney, acting swiftly, ran for safety while warning others and calling 911.

“I got lucky today. I really did,” Stickney said, reflecting on how close he came to danger.

As the shots rang out, students across campus scattered in all directions. Holden Mendez, a political science major, had just left the student union when he heard the gunfire. “There was a lot of fear. A lot of panic,” he recalled. His emergency response training kicked in, and he worked to calm those around him, reassuring them that the building they were in was secure.

Andres Perez, another student, was in a classroom near the student union when the lockdown alarm sounded. He and his classmates quickly barricaded the door with desks as they awaited the arrival of police officers.

“I always hang out in the student union,” said Perez. “So the second I found out that the threat was there, my heart sank and I was scared.”

The shooting sent shockwaves across the country, drawing reactions from political figures including President Donald Trump, who called it “a horrible thing” while reiterating his stance against new gun legislation. “The gun doesn’t do the shooting, the people do,” he said from the Oval Office.

Florida State University President Richard McCullough expressed his sorrow, saying, “Our hearts go out to our students and the victims of this terrible tragedy.”

This is not the first time Florida State has experienced gun violence on campus. In 2014, a gunman opened fire in the university’s main library, injuring three people before being shot and killed by police. The university, with an enrollment of about 44,000 students, has long been a center of academic and extracurricular activity, but the dark shadow of violence has now touched the campus again.

In response to the attack, Florida State University canceled classes for the remainder of the week and also called off home athletic events through Sunday. As students and faculty process their emotions, the return to campus will be a difficult journey—one marked by grief, resilience, and a determination to heal.

The community remains shaken, but as vigils take place and memorials continue to grow, there is a sense of solidarity and support that is helping many begin to heal from the tragedy that has upended their peaceful campus life.

Source: AP News – Students at Florida State gather at memorials, prepare to retrieve belongings after deadly shooting

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Justice Served in Tragic Case

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp expressed satisfaction with the swift sentencing of Jose Antonio Ibarra, a 26-year-old Venezuelan migrant convicted of murdering 22-year-old nursing student Laken Riley. The Athens-Clarke County judge sentenced Ibarra to life in prison after convicting him in a non-jury trial.

“I’m glad that justice was served, and it was swift and severe,” Kemp said in an interview with Fox News Digital on Wednesday, shortly after the verdict was delivered.

The case, which shook the University of Georgia campus, began in February when Riley was fatally attacked while jogging on a campus trail. Ibarra was arrested the following day.

A Tragic Loss for Georgia
Governor Kemp called the incident “a really tragic set of circumstances,” adding, “It’s heartbreaking for her family, friends, fellow students, and the entire state of Georgia. I’ve certainly kept them in my thoughts and prayers.”

Ibarra’s legal team had unsuccessfully sought to move the trial out of Athens, and Judge H. Patrick Haggard presided over the case instead of a jury.

Political Implications of Border Policies
The murder reignited debates over U.S. immigration policies. Kemp criticized President Biden’s border security measures, attributing them to increased dangers in local communities.

“The policies are outrageous. They’ve gotten people killed not only in Georgia but across the country,” Kemp said. He linked these concerns to support for President-elect Donald Trump, stating, “That’s a big reason why people elected Trump. We look forward to working with his administration to secure the border and ensure these tragedies don’t happen again.”

National Spotlight on Riley’s Case
Riley’s murder was a focal point during the presidential campaign, with Trump highlighting it as an example of the need for stricter immigration enforcement and the deportation of undocumented migrants.

Kemp’s New Role and Commitment
The governor’s comments came shortly after he was elected chair of the Republican Governors Association during an event in Marco Island, Florida. Kemp pledged to continue advocating for policies that protect local communities from similar tragedies.

“The safety of our communities is paramount,” Kemp emphasized. “We must prevent such heartbreaking incidents from ever happening again.”

Source

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