U.S.
Army ROTC cadets receive meritorious service medals, Purple Hearts after stopping shooter
Stars and Stripes
March 24, 2026
Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael R. Weimer and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, both left, shake hands with Old Dominion University ROTC cadets at a ceremony that saw them receive military honors for stopping a shooting, Sunday, March 22, 2026. (U.S. Army Cadet Command via Facebook)
Army ROTC cadets attending Old Dominion University in Virginia received eight meritorious service medals and two Purple Hearts on Sunday in recognition of their efforts to stop a shooter at the university two weeks earlier.
The private ceremony saw the unnamed cadets awarded by Army Secretary Dan Driscoll and Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Weimer, U.S. Army Cadet Command said in a Facebook post.
An ROTC cadet at Old Dominion University greets Army Secretary Dan Driscoll. (U.S. Army Cadet Command via Facebook)
Army Secretary Dan Driscoll awarded meritorious service medals and Purple Hearts to ROTC cadets attending Old Dominion University on Sunday, March 22, 2026. (U.S. Army Cadet Command via Facebook)
Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll at a ceremony honoring ROTC cadets attending Old Dominion University, Sunday, March 22, 2026. (U.S. Army Cadet Command via Facebook)
On March 12, Mohamed Bailor Jalloh fired in a classroom at the university, killing one person and injuring two others. Jalloh, a previously convicted terrorist and former member of the Army National Guard, was stopped by students.
“The shooter is now deceased thanks to a group of brave students who stepped in and subdued him — actions that undoubtedly saved lives along with the quick response of law enforcement,” FBI Director Kash Patel said the day of the shooting in a post on X.
The man who was killed, retired Army Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, 41, was a decorated military veteran who led the university’s ROTC program and was credited with boosting its size.
“The greatest gift to the nation from [Shah] who lost his life, is the training he gave these cadets,” one person wrote in a comment on the command’s Facebook post.