Samuel Reineberg - First-Hand Account of the Old Dominion Terrorist Attack | SRS #295

This is a detailed first-hand account from Samuel Reineberg, an Army ROTC senior cadet at Old Dominion University, about the March 12, 2026 terrorist attack that occurred in his military science classroom. The interview covers the entire sequence of events, from the normal morning class where they were giving briefings on combatant commands, to the moment when Muhammad Jalah entered the classroom asking 'Is this ROTC or a seminar?' before shouting 'Allahu Akbar' and opening fire. Reineberg describes how Colonel Shaw, their professor, immediately bear-hugged the shooter despite being shot, and how he and three other cadets physically engaged the terrorist, ultimately killing him in less than four minutes. The most emotional parts of the interview focus on Reineberg's attempts to save Colonel Shaw's life, applying tourniquets and providing aid, but Shaw later died at the hospital. Reineberg received a Soldier's Medal for his heroic actions and describes the complex emotions of receiving awards while grieving his professor's death. The interview also covers the shooter's background - a former National Guard member who was radicalized, attempted to support ISIS, served prison time, and was released 2.5 years early through a drug rehabilitation program loophole. Reineberg discusses the aftermath, including spending 7 hours at the police station covered in blood, the funeral, survivor's guilt, and his continued commitment to serve as an Army officer. He's been assigned to Hawaii for his first duty station, which he learned the day after the attack.