University unaware of student's terror conviction before campus shooting

• Old Dominion University student Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, convicted of attempting to aid the Islamic State, opened fire on campus.
• The university was unaware of Jalloh's criminal history prior to the shooting.
• Jalloh's probation officer did not share his criminal background with the university.
• An investigative report indicated Jalloh likely would have been removed from campus if his history was known.
• Virginia law prohibits universities from inquiring about criminal history before admission but allows it post-readmission.
• University President Brian O. Hemphill pledged to implement the report's recommendations.

An investigative report released Tuesday revealed that Old Dominion University was unaware of student Mohamed Bailor Jalloh's criminal history, including his conviction for attempting to aid the Islamic State, before he opened fire in a classroom in March. Jalloh, who had served eight years in prison and was released early after completing a drug treatment program, was not questioned about his past by the university before or after his readmission.

According to the report by the law firm Cooley, Jalloh's probation officer also failed to share his criminal background with the university. The report stated that had the university been aware of Jalloh's history, officials likely would have sought his removal from campus. Virginia law permits universities to inquire about a student's criminal history only after readmission, relying on self-disclosure.

"Given that Virginia law requires universities to rely on student self-disclosure, it is even more important that other law enforcement agencies ensure that information that universities need to know to safeguard their students is shared with universities. This critical failure led to tragic consequences here," the report stated.

Jalloh, a former member of the Virginia National Guard, had pleaded guilty in 2017 to providing material support to the Islamic State group and was sentenced to 11 years in prison. Following the shooting, authorities and cadets subdued Jalloh, who had asked if the classroom was an ROTC class before opening fire. Instructor Lt. Col. Brandon Shah was fatally wounded during the incident. University President Brian O. Hemphill stated that the university would act swiftly to implement the report's recommendations to enhance campus safety.