NewsLine

36-year-old Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, a former Virginian National Guards Man has been identified as the perpetrator of a fatal shooting at the Old Dominion University (ODU).

In the early hours of today, Jalloh, who is reportedly from Sierra Leone, walked into a classroom and made an enquiry whether it was a Retired Officer Training Corps (ROTC) class.

After his question was answered in the affirmative, Jalloh began shooting fatally injuring the class instructor who was a retired Army Officer, sources say.

CBS News reported that he had become a naturalised US citizen. In 2017 he was sentenced to 11 years in prison after pleading guilty to attempting to provide material assistance to ISIS. He was released in 2024.

Two other people sustained injuries and were taken to the hospital where one of them has passed away and the other is in critical conditions.

The FBI has linked the case to a terror attack.

A young Sierra Leonean woman travelled all the way to Lebanon in search of survival and to support her family back home. Sadly, the news circulating about her death is heartbreaking.

This is a painful reminder of the struggles many of our sisters face when they leave Sierra Leone looking for opportunities abroad. Sometimes the realities they meet are far from what they expected.

Our culture and beliefs in Sierra Leone are very strong, and many of our people do not support certain lifestyles. But beyond everything, a life has been lost, and that is a tragedy.

May her soul rest in peace, and may God protect all Sierra Leoneans struggling abroad to make a better life for their families. 🕊️