A decorated military veteran who survived multiple combat tours in the Middle East was fatally shot by a convicted ISIS supporter while teaching an ROTC class at Old Dominion University, raising urgent questions about how a known terrorist was free to attack on American soil.

Veteran Instructor Cut Down in His Classroom

Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, chair of Old Dominion University’s military science department, was teaching Thursday morning when Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, 36, burst into the classroom and opened fire. Shah had completed multiple tours supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom since enlisting in 2003. The decorated officer held more than 17 military awards, including the Air Medal of Valor and three Army Commendation Medals, and recorded over 600 combat flight hours across three different aircraft.

Law enforcement sources confirmed Jalloh specifically asked students if they were in an ROTC class before opening fire. Two other ROTC members were injured in the attack, which the FBI is investigating as terrorism. A group of students, including one armed with a knife, stopped Jalloh and killed him before he could harm anyone else. Virginia Governor Abigail Spangberger honored Shah’s sacrifice, stating he not only served the country but also taught others to follow that path of service.

Convicted Terrorist Walked Free After Minimal Sentence

Jalloh was sentenced to just 11 years in prison in 2017 for attempting to provide material support to ISIS. The naturalized citizen from Sierra Leone served in the Virginia National Guard as a combat engineer before becoming radicalized. He received an honorable discharge in April 2015 after nearly six years of service. During a six-month stay in Africa in 2016, Jalloh met with ISIS members and expressed a desire to launch his own terror attack, taking inspiration from the 2009 Fort Hood massacre.

Questions Mount About Release of Known Terrorist

The Department of Justice confirmed Jalloh admired Anwar al-Awlaki, the slain leader of al Qaeda’s Arabian Peninsula branch, along with other known terrorists. Despite this documented threat, Jalloh was apparently released and able to target military personnel. Shah’s former colleagues described him as someone destined for greatness who made a tremendous impact on fellow service members and students. The attack has sparked debate about whether sentences for terrorist supporters are adequate to protect Americans and military installations from future attacks by radicalized individuals.