Guard students stop shooter at university

An unexpected act of violence hit Old Dominion University when a former guard member, who had once tried to join the Islamic State, opened fire in the business school. Within ten minutes of police being called, the shooter was found dead on campus, and two people were injured. One of them remains in critical condition. The attacker had a troubled past. He was jailed for attempting to help the Islamic State and served eleven years before being released on supervised terms, similar to probation. The reason for his early release is unclear; inmates can earn time off for various reasons, but no specific details were released. Jalloh’s background is complex. He was a naturalized U. S. citizen from Sierra Leone and served in the Army National Guard until 2015, when he was honorably discharged. After leaving the guard, he allegedly listened to extremist sermons and began planning an attack similar to the 2009 Fort Hood shooting. Authorities had already tracked him in a sting operation where he tried to buy an AR‑15 and donate money that was actually diverted by the FBI.During his 2016 trial, prosecutors argued he linked violence against U. S. soldiers to religious salvation, showing deep commitment to extremist ideology. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison with five years of supervised release and mandatory treatment for substance abuse and mental health issues. He is not eligible for sentence reduction because his crime was terrorism‑related. The incident involved two ROTC members, one of whom died. The deceased was a former helicopter pilot who had flown missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, and his family is linked to a local university trustee. The other two wounded were hospitalized; one was released after treatment. The university halted classes and closed its main campus for the next day. The president thanked emergency responders and offered prayers for those affected. Norfolk’s community, which hosts a large naval base, is already accustomed to military life, making the tragedy all the more shocking.