Virginia’s governor has identified the victim in Thursday’s shooting at Old Dominion University as Lt. Col. Brandon Shah.
Shah, according to Gov. Abigail Spanberger, was an ROTC instructor who “didn’t just lead a life of service to our country, he taught and led others to follow that path,” CNN reported.
He enlisted in the Army in 2003 and Shah attended Old Dominion as an ROTC student, returning to lead the program in 2022. While in the Army, he was a helicopter pilot flying missions in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Eastern Europe, The Associated Press reported. He had more than 600 combat flight hours and several military awards, including two Bronze Stars, according to CNN.
He graduated from UGA’s Terry College of Business with a master’s degree in business administration, WSB reported.
Shah also had a master’s in engineering management from the University of Kansas, WTKR reported.
He was a professor of military science at Old Dominion as part of the university’s Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, CNN reported.
A friend of Shah’s said he was nearly at the end of his military career when he was killed.
“He was so close to the finish line… about to retire… just start the next chapter,” Carlos Ortiz said, according to WTKR. “You’re not supposed to go to war… come home where you’re safe… and die like that.”
“All he wanted to do was come back and teach at ODU. That was his dream… and he got the job,” Ortiz said.
Two other people were injured in the shooting. One was hospitalized in critical condition as of Thursday, Sentara Health said. The other was treated and released, the AP reported. Along with Shah, the other two victims were members of the university, CNN reported.
Classes were canceled on Friday. Monday was the start of the university’s spring break.
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