Justice Department Charges Kenya Chapman for Allegedly Selling Gun to Old Dominion University Shooter

NORFOLK VIRGINIA, Federal prosecutors have charged a Virginia man in connection with the firearm used in Thursday’s deadly shooting at Old Dominion University, according to an announcement from the United States Department of Justice.

Authorities said Kenya Chapman has been charged for allegedly selling a handgun to Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, the suspect in the campus shooting that left one person dead and two others injured.

Investigators stated that Jalloh was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a prior felony conviction related to attempting to assist the extremist group Islamic State.

According to federal court documents, Chapman told investigators he had stolen the firearm from a vehicle in Newport News approximately one year before the attack. Chapman later sold the weapon to Jalloh after meeting him at work.

In interviews with federal agents, Chapman said Jalloh told him he needed the firearm for personal protection while working as a delivery driver. Chapman said he was aware that Jalloh had previously spent time in prison but claimed he did not know that Jalloh had a felony conviction that legally barred him from possessing a firearm.

Chapman reportedly told investigators he had no knowledge or expectation that Jalloh intended to carry out a violent attack.

Earlier Friday, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press that the handgun used in the shooting had an obliterated serial number, which could complicate efforts to trace the weapon’s origin.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing, said forensic specialists may attempt to restore the serial number in order to determine the firearm’s history and chain of possession.

Jalloh, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Sierra Leone, was previously convicted in 2016 for attempting to provide assistance to the Islamic State extremist group. He later served time in federal prison.

According to officials familiar with the case, Jalloh was released from federal prison in December 2024 and placed on supervised release.

Sources told The Associated Press that Jalloh was released earlier than his full sentence after completing a treatment program that can allow certain inmates to reduce their prison time. Officials said it remains unclear how he qualified for the program.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons has not released additional details regarding Jalloh’s incarceration or eligibility for early release.

The shooting occurred Thursday morning inside Constant Hall, where an Army ROTC class was being held.

Authorities said Jalloh entered the classroom and began firing during the incident. During the attack, one person was killed and two others were wounded.

According to officials with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, ROTC students present in the classroom confronted and subdued the attacker, helping prevent further casualties.

Authorities confirmed that the suspect was not shot during the confrontation.

Sentara Health later reported that one of the injured victims, who had initially been hospitalized in critical condition, has since been upgraded to fair condition, while another victim was treated and later released.

ODU Police Chief Garrett Shelton said during a briefing that fewer than ten minutes passed between the first emergency calls reporting gunfire and the moment responding officers determined the shooter was dead.

Authorities continue to investigate the incident and are reviewing evidence related to Jalloh’s activities before the attack.

Officials have asked members of the public to come forward with any information that could assist investigators.

The victim killed in the shooting was identified as Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, a 42-year-old Army ROTC instructor from Chesapeake.

Shah, a retired U.S. Army officer and helicopter pilot who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Eastern Europe, returned to Old Dominion University in 2022 to help lead the Army ROTC program.

University President Brian Hemphill described Shah as a dedicated leader and mentor in a message to the campus community.

“Above all else, Lt. Col. Shah embodied what it means to be a devoted family man, a respected leader, and a protector even in his final moments,” Hemphill said.

Shah is survived by his spouse and a child.

Friends and former classmates gathered on campus Friday to honor his memory. One of his close friends, Eddie Flack, visited the lawn near the flagpoles across from Constant Hall to pay tribute.

The investigation remains ongoing as federal, state, and local authorities continue reviewing evidence and examining how the suspect obtained the firearm despite being legally prohibited from possessing one.

Officials said additional charges could be possible as the investigation continues.