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According to officials, the ROTC cadet charged the shooter and intervened using a knife he had on him. The cadet closed the distance and confronted the attacker, helping bring the violent rampage to an end.
Law enforcement later confirmed that the gunman did not survive the confrontation.
Federal officials praised the students who stepped in to stop the attack.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Dominique Evans said the students demonstrated “extreme bravery and courage” when they intervened and helped render the gunman “no longer alive.”
FBI Director Kash Patel also publicly recognized their actions.
“The shooter is now deceased thanks to a group of brave students who stepped in and subdued him,” Patel posted. “Actions that undoubtedly saved lives.”
The dramatic intervention likely prevented additional casualties in a room full of unarmed students.
The attack has also renewed scrutiny over Virginia’s gun policies, particularly restrictions on firearms on college campuses.
Old Dominion University prohibits firearms on campus for most individuals. Critics argue that such rules leave law-abiding citizens unable to defend themselves while doing little to deter criminals who ignore the law.
Supporters of campus carry laws often argue that gun-free zones can create environments where attackers face little immediate resistance.
The Virginia shooting has also resurfaced memories of past tragedies in the state.
In 2007, a gunman carried out the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history at Virginia Tech, killing 32 people. That campus was also designated as a gun-free zone.
More recently, three University of Virginia football players were murdered in a 2022 campus shooting.
Critics of Virginia’s gun policies say the Old Dominion attack highlights the risks of disarming potential defenders.
Some have argued that if a legally armed individual had been present in the classroom, the gunman might have been stopped even earlier.
The debate is intensifying as Virginia lawmakers continue to consider new gun-control measures.
Earlier this month, the Virginia legislature passed Senate Bill 749, which would ban certain firearms classified as assault weapons. The legislation cleared lawmakers on March 9 and is awaiting action from Democratic Governor Abigail Spanberger.
At the same time, other legislation has sought to further tighten restrictions on firearms on college campuses.
One such proposal, House Bill 626, was introduced by Democratic Delegate Katrina Callsen of Albemarle. The measure aims to further restrict exemptions that allow certain individuals to carry firearms inside university buildings.
Virginia Senator Creigh Deeds has also pushed for stronger campus gun restrictions, arguing that policies should reduce the chances that armed civilians are present in university buildings.
Critics say such policies could leave students more vulnerable in emergencies.
The Old Dominion incident has now become a flashpoint in that debate.
Supporters of gun rights say the ROTC cadet’s actions demonstrate how individuals sometimes must act immediately to stop an attacker when police are not yet on the scene.
Law enforcement response times, even when rapid, can still take minutes. In an active shooter situation, those minutes can mean the difference between life and death.
The cadet who confronted the gunman is now widely being praised as a hero.
His willingness to run toward danger, armed only with a blade, helped bring an end to the attack and likely prevented further loss of life.
The tragedy at Old Dominion University serves as a grim reminder that acts of courage often emerge in the darkest moments.
But it also raises a larger question now dominating the political conversation in Virginia: whether policies designed to create gun-free spaces truly make people safer, or whether they leave citizens defenseless when violence strikes.
