A man was charged Friday with selling a stolen gun to Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, a former member of the Army National Guard who used it to kill one person and wound two others at Old Dominion University, federal authorities said.
The charges come a day after the attack by Jalloh, who had previously spent eight years in prison for attempting to aid the Islamic State group. Authorities say Jalloh yelled 'Allahu akbar' before opening fire in a classroom at the Virginia school and was killed by ROTC students.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservatives and Republican lawmakers are focusing on the failure of the federal prison system to keep Jalloh behind bars longer, given his conviction for attempting to aid a terrorist organization. Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas called the early release 'a catastrophic mistake that cost an American life.'
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan demanded answers from the Bureau of Prisons about how Jalloh qualified for early release through a drug treatment program. 'How does someone convicted of terrorism-related charges get early release? This is a failure of the Biden administration's justice policies,' Jordan said in a statement.
Republican lawmakers have also criticized the handling of Chapman, noting he was previously investigated in 2021 for straw purchases but was not prosecuted. Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri said 'the DOJ had Chapman on their radar two years ago and did nothing. Now a veteran is dead.'
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive Democrats and civil liberties advocates are using the shooting to renew calls for stronger gun control measures and stricter oversight of individuals convicted of terrorism-related offenses. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the incident 'exposes dangerous gaps in our federal gun laws that allow dangerous individuals to obtain weapons.'
Democratic lawmakers have long advocated for universal background checks and closing the 'boyfriend loophole' that allows some domestic violence perpetrators to purchase firearms. Following the shooting, Representative Jim Himes of Connecticut said 'we cannot keep allowing weapons to fall into the hands of individuals who have demonstrated extremist ideologies.'
The American Civil Liberties Union has called for enhanced monitoring of individuals on supervised release, particularly those with terrorism-related convictions. 'The system failed to protect the public from someone who had already demonstrated violent extremist intentions,' said a spokesperson.
What the Numbers Show
Jalloh was sentenced to 11 years in prison for attempting to aid the Islamic State group. He was released from federal custody in December 2024, approximately two and a half years early, after completing a drug treatment program that allows inmates to reduce sentences by up to one year.
The Bureau of Prisons typically restricts eligibility for sentence-reducing programs for inmates serving sentences for terrorism-related offenses, though it was not clear how Jalloh qualified for the program.
Chapman was previously investigated in 2021 for straw purchases and received a warning letter. He wrote a letter of apology after admitting to the purchases. The case was presented to the U.S. attorney's office but was declined for prosecution at that time.
The gun used in the shooting had its serial number partially obliterated, complicating efforts to trace it. Authorities identified Chapman through phone records showing multiple calls between him and Jalloh in the week before the shooting.
The victim, Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, was a 42-year-old Army veteran who served as an ROTC instructor at Old Dominion University. He leaves behind a spouse and child.
The Bottom Line
The charging of Kenya Chapman marks the first federal prosecution connected to the Old Dominion University shooting that killed one person and wounded two others. The case raises questions about both gun trafficking enforcement and the early release of individuals with terrorism-related convictions.
U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche called Chapman's alleged actions a breach of public trust, saying he 'allegedly sold a firearm to a convicted terrorist who murdered a decorated American veteran.' Chapman faces charges of making false statements during a firearm purchase and engaging in the business of firearms dealing without a license.
The Justice Department will likely face scrutiny over its 2021 decision not to prosecute Chapman, as well as questions about how Jalloh qualified for early release from his terrorism-related sentence. The FBI has requested the public's help with ongoing investigations, and authorities say no detail is too small.