Army ROTC cadets at Old Dominion University are speaking out about the deadly campus shooting that killed their instructor, recounting how he “gave his own life” to protect them and how their training helped them respond.
“The team put together and worked together to face the threat head on, and through the heroic actions of Lt. Col. Shah, a lot of preventable loss was… prevented,” cadet Wesley Myers told “Fox & Friends” on Monday in an exclusive interview.
Myers, along with fellow cadets, Liam Clement and Oshea Bego, recounted the harrowing experience, describing how what began as a routine class turned into something sinister when gunman Mohamed Jalloh entered the classroom.
Jalloh repeatedly and nervously asked if the class was ROTC, according to prior reporting and, upon confirmation, reportedly shouted “Allahu akbar” and began firing at Lt. Col. Brandon Shah.
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According to the cadets, Shah immediately confronted the shooter, ultimately sacrificing his life to stop the attack.
“Shah closed the distance with the shooter and gave his own life to take him down,” Clement recalled.
The cadets said their ROTC training kicked in almost instantly, allowing them to respond both tactically and medically in the chaotic aftermath.
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“As ROTC students, we receive training in both medical as well as defensive tactics,” Clement shared.
“We employed these as a team to both treat Lt. Col. Shah and our wounded as we could, as well as to take the fight to the shooter.”
Jalloh was pronounced dead at the scene.
The trio also reflected on what Shah’s sacrifice and influence meant to them.
“He meant a great deal to a lot of us, me specifically. I’ve been in the program for the last four years, so we’ve been very close during that whole time,” Bego said.
“He was a great mentor, and even played the role of a honest friend at times. Even when the truth hurt, he made sure that you were on point in everything he could to support us and our goals.”
“He didn’t just treat us like cadets — he treated us as a family,” Myers added.
