A Virginia man has been charged with illegally selling the firearm used in the deadly shooting at Old Dominion University.
According to a press release by the Department of Justice (DOJ), Kenya Mcchell Chapman, 32, of Smithfield, Virginia, appeared in federal court on March 13 after being charged with dealing firearms without a license and making false statements during gun purchases.
Read more: Fatmatu Jalloh: 5 things about ODU shooter Mohamed Jalloh’s sister who claimed to know nothing about attack
Here’s all you need to know about Kenya Chapman.
Kenya Chapman: 5 things to know
- Chapman sold the gun to a person barred from owning guns – The ODU shooter had a prior terrorism-related conviction for attempting to support a “foreign terrorist organization.” Hence, the shooter was prohibited from lawfully obtaining or owning firearms or ammunition.
- Chapman sold a stolen gun to the ODU shooter – Authorities allege Chapman stole a firearm and sold it to Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, the man identified as the ODU shooter who opened fire during an Army ROTC class on March 12. Chapman stole the gun from a car in Newport News, Virginia, about a year before selling it to Jalloh, days before the shooting that killed Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, an ROTC instructor and injured two others.
- Chapman faces multiple federal firearm charges – According to court filings, Chapman reportedly acquired three weapons in 2021, which were found at crime scenes shortly thereafter. Two were found at the scene of a homicide. The third one was confiscated from a drunk after a public incident. On March 13, law enforcement searched Chapman’s home and discovered ammo that was in line with the firearm recovered from the ODU shooting.
- Chapman was allegedly not prosecuted by the Biden administration -Attorney General Pam Bondi, in a statement, said that the Biden Department of Justice failed to prosecute Chapman for the stolen guns. She said, “The Biden Department of Justice declined to prosecute this man and let him off easy with a warning.” She further criticizes the previous government and said, “Left-wing soft-on-crime policies cost lives — but this Department of Justice doesn’t tolerate crime, we punish it.”
- Chapman could face decades in prison – If convicted on all counts, Chapman could face a maximum sentence of 35 years in federal prison, though any sentence would ultimately be determined by a judge.
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