NORFOLK, Va. — Federal prosecutors say a Smithfield woman illegally sold the gun used in the March 12 shooting at Old Dominion University, a shooting that left one person dead and two others wounded during an ROTC class.
Kenya Mcchell Chapman, 32, appeared in federal court and was charged by criminal complaint with dealing in firearms without a license and three counts of making false statements while purchasing firearms, according to court documents filed in the Eastern District of Virginia.
Investigators say the charges stem from Chapman’s alleged role in providing the weapon used by Mohamed Bailor Jalloh during the campus shooting.
Shooting During ROTC Class
Authorities say the violence unfolded during an Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) class on the Old Dominion University campus in Norfolk.
According to investigators, Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, 36, opened fire during the class on March 12. One person was killed and two others were injured in the attack.
Jalloh had previously been convicted in federal court in 2016 of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. Because of that felony conviction, he was legally prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
Gun Allegedly Sold Days Before Shooting
Federal investigators say Chapman sold Jalloh the firearm just days before the attack.
During a search of Chapman’s home, law enforcement officers reportedly found ammunition consistent with the firearm recovered at the ODU shooting scene.
According to the affidavit, Chapman allegedly stole the firearm from a vehicle in Newport News about a year before the shooting, then later sold it to Jalloh shortly before the incident.
Pattern of Suspicious Firearm Purchases
Court records also point to earlier firearm purchases made by Chapman.
In 2021, investigators say Chapman purchased three firearms that were later recovered at crime scenes soon after the purchases. Two of those guns were recovered at the scene of a homicide, while another surfaced during a drunk-in-public incident.
Federal prosecutors say those purchases are part of the case supporting allegations that Chapman was acting as an unlicensed firearms dealer.
Potential Prison Time
If convicted on all charges, Chapman faces up to 35 years in federal prison.
Any sentence would ultimately be decided by a federal district court judge after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The case remains under investigation. Federal authorities have not announced whether additional charges may be filed related to the campus shooting.