Norfolk, Virginia — Federal prosecutors have charged a Virginia man in connection with the firearm used in Thursday’s deadly shooting at Old Dominion University, according to an announcement from the United States Department of Justice.

Authorities say Kenya Chapman has been charged for allegedly selling a handgun to Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, the suspect in the campus shooting that left one person dead and two others injured.

Investigators state that Jalloh was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm due to a prior felony conviction related to attempting to assist the extremist group Islamic State.

According to federal court documents, Chapman told investigators he had stolen the firearm from a vehicle in Newport News approximately one year before the attack. Chapman later sold the weapon to Jalloh after meeting him at work.

In interviews with federal agents, Chapman said Jalloh claimed he needed the firearm for personal protection while working as a delivery driver. Chapman acknowledged that he was aware Jalloh had previously spent time in prison but said he did not know that Jalloh had a felony conviction that barred him from legally possessing a gun.

Chapman reportedly told investigators that he had no knowledge or expectation that Jalloh intended to carry out a violent attack.

Earlier Friday, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press that the handgun used in the shooting had an obliterated serial number, a factor that could complicate efforts to trace the weapon’s origin.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing investigation, said forensic specialists may attempt to restore or re-surface the serial number in order to determine the firearm’s history and chain of possession.

Jalloh, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Sierra Leone, was previously convicted in 2016 for attempting to provide assistance to the Islamic State extremist group. He later served a prison sentence of 11 years in federal custody.

According to officials familiar with the case, Jalloh was released from federal prison in December 2024 and placed on supervised release, a form of post-incarceration monitoring comparable to probation.

Sources told The Associated Press that Jalloh was released approximately two and a half years earlier than his full sentence after completing a drug treatment program that can allow certain inmates to reduce their prison time. However, it remains unclear how he qualified for the program, as individuals convicted of terrorism-related offenses are typically ineligible for many sentence-reduction programs.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons has not yet provided additional details regarding Jalloh’s incarceration or eligibility for early release.

The shooting occurred Thursday morning inside Constant Hall, where an Army ROTC class was being held.

Authorities say Jalloh entered the classroom and began firing after shouting a phrase in Arabic commonly translated as “God is greatest.” During the attack, one person was killed and two others were wounded.

According to officials with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, ROTC students present in the classroom confronted and subdued the attacker, ultimately preventing further casualties.

The FBI noted that the students’ actions were instrumental in stopping the violence. Authorities have not publicly detailed exactly how the students subdued the suspect, but officials confirmed he was not shot.

Sentara Health later reported that one of the injured victims, who had initially been hospitalized in critical condition, has since been upgraded to fair condition, while another victim was treated and released.

Garrett Shelton said during a briefing that fewer than 10 minutes elapsed between the first emergency calls reporting gunfire and the moment responding officers determined the shooter was dead.

Authorities continue to investigate the incident and are reviewing evidence related to Jalloh’s activities prior to the attack.

Dominique Evans stated that investigators are asking members of the public to come forward with any information that could assist the investigation, emphasizing that even small details could be important.

The victim killed in the shooting was identified as Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, a 42-year-old Army ROTC instructor from Chesapeake.

Shah, a retired U.S. Army officer and helicopter pilot who served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Eastern Europe, had returned to his alma mater in 2022 to help lead the Army ROTC program.

In a message to the university community, Brian Hemphill described Shah as a dedicated leader and mentor.

“Above all else, Lt. Col. Shah embodied what it means to be a devoted family man, a revered leader, and a heroic protector even in his final moments,” Hemphill said.

Shah is survived by his spouse and a child.

Friends and former classmates gathered on campus Friday to honor Shah’s memory. One of his close friends, Eddie Flack, visited the lawn near the flagpoles across from Constant Hall, where he poured out a bottle of whiskey in tribute.

Flack said the two had developed a close friendship while attending Old Dominion University together.

Through tears, he expressed his grief and called for greater compassion in society, saying the world needs more understanding and less hatred.

The investigation remains active as federal, state, and local authorities continue to review evidence, interview witnesses, and examine how Jalloh obtained the firearm despite his status as a convicted felon barred from possessing weapons.

Officials say additional charges could be possible as investigators work to establish the full sequence of events leading up to the shooting.