Kenya Chapman, 32, of Smithfield, Virginia was charged Friday with illegally selling the firearm used in Thursday’s shooting on the campus of Old Dominion University.
Chapman admitted to stealing the Glock 44 .22 caliber from a vehicle in Newport News and selling it to Jalloh for $100 days before the attack, according to an affidavit. Chapman faces up to thirty-five years in prison.
Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, 36, opened fire at Old Dominion University on March 12, killing professor of military science Lt. Col. Brandon Shah whose Army career included piloting helicopters over Iraq, Afghanistan, and Eastern Europe. Two other Army personnel were wounded; one was released from the hospital and the other has been upgraded from critical to fair condition.
Jalloh died after ROTC cadets fought back in their classroom, with at least one student stabbing him multiple times. Jalloh was taking classes online at ODU at the time of the attack.
“This is a national sickness,” scolded Ramin Fatehi, Norfolk Commonwealth Attorney at a March 12 press conference. “Until there is the political will to break the spell of the cult of gun absolutism, you will see more incidents like this.”
A naturalized U.S. citizen from Sierra Leone, Jalloh served in the Virginia Army National Guard from 2009 until 2015, when he was honorably discharged. According to documents filed by The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Kenya Chapman was investigated in 2021 for straw purchasing three guns. A straw purchase is when a person buys a gun on someone’s behalf, typically to circumvent a background check on the intended owner. Two of those guns were recovered at crime scenes shortly thereafter.
After Chapman admitted to the straw purchases, ATF ultimately issued Chapman a warning letter, and Chapman replied with a letter of apology. In 2016, Jalloh was convicted of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. As a convicted felon, Jalloh could not legally purchase or possess firearms or ammunition.
Scheduled events for March 14 and 15 at all campuses were canceled. Constant Hall, the building where the shooting occurred, will remain closed for the rest of the semester.
