Deceased victim in Virginia shooting served for US in wars, family came from Pakistan

By Kanishka Singh

WASHINGTON, March 13 (Reuters) – The deceased victim in Thursday’s shooting at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, had served for the U.S. in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and came from a family that moved from Pakistan.

Here are some details about him:

* Lieutenant Colonel Brandon Shah, 42, the ODU Army ReserveOfficers’ Training Corps professor of military science and anative of Chesapeake, Virginia, died from gunshot woundssustained during the shooting. * “Lt. Col. Shah was a beloved and respected leader at OldDominion University. He personally guided students in the ArmyROTC Monarch Battalion through his caring spirit and combatexperience,” Old Dominion University President Brian Hemphillsaid. * Shah “embodied what it means to be a devoted family man, arevered leader, and heroic protector even in his final moments,”Hemphill said. * After enlisting in the Army in 2003, Shah enrolled at OldDominion University in 2005. He received his Army commission andgraduated in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology. * As an Army pilot, he flew an AH64 Apache over Iraq andAfghanistan, according to Hemphill, who said Shah logged morethan 1,200 hours, 600 of them on combat missions, in threeaircraft. * Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger said she ordered thatthe flags of the U.S. and Virginia be flown at half-staff on allstate and local buildings and grounds in Shah’s memory. * Shah’s cousin was cited by NBC News as saying that Shahwas born in the U.S. after his father immigrated to the U.S. andthat the family came from Pakistan. * The FBI said it opened a terrorism investigation into theThursday shooting that killed Shah and injured two others. * All three victims were affiliated with the university,which, according to its website, has close ties with themilitary. * The shooter was also killed.

(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in WashingtonEditing by Rod Nickel)