ROTC instructor killed in Virginia university shooting was UGA graduate

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) — The Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) instructor shot and killed at a Virginia university on Thursday has been identified as a University of Georgia graduate.

Lt. Col. Brandon Shah led the ROTC program at Old Dominion University. He received his MBA from UGA, his university profile said.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: ROTC students at Old Dominion subdued and killed the shooter who killed 1 person, wounded 2

According to the FBI, Mohamed Bailor Jalloh — a former Army National Guard member who spent eight years in prison for trying to help the Islamic State, or ISIS — opened fire on a classroom after yelling “Allahu Akbar.” Two other people were also hurt in the shooting, one of whom is in critical condition.

ROTC students subdued and killed Jalloh, authorities said.

In 2016, Jalloh pleaded guilty to providing material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. An undercover operation determined he was considering a Fort Hood-style attack on the military, court documents show.

Jalloh, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Sierra Leone, was released from federal custody in December 2024.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Old Dominion shooter convicted of Islamic State ties released from prison just 2 years before attack

Shah was an Old Dominion University alumnus who enlisted in the Army in 2003 as an Aviation Operations Specialist. He was deployed in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, served at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah and had thousands of hours of flight experience, his school profile said.

In a statement, UGA officials said they were “devastated” to learn of Shah’s death. Shah graduated from the Terry College of Business and was recognized as a Terry Trailblazer for his accomplishments in 2022. He also participated in several military flyovers during Sanford Stadium football games.

“He was dearly loved by many on our campus and was well known for his unwavering commitment to mentorship and service,” the statement said. “The entire University of Georgia community will continue to hold him and his family in our thoughts and prayers.”

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp also took to social media to share his condolences.

Marty, the girls, and I join the Shah family and the entire Old Dominion community in mourning the loss of Lt. Colonel Brandon Shah in yesterday’s tragic shooting. A dedicated soldier and proud UGA graduate who spent several years at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, his service…

— Governor Brian P. Kemp (@GovKemp) March 13, 2026

“...his service is a reminder of what makes our nation and military exceptional. We ask that all Georgians keep our brave service members in their prayers, both at home and abroad,” he wrote on X. “May God keep them safe in this time of conflict and in the days of peace to come.”

This is a developing story. Check back with Atlanta News First as we learn more.