Police are searching for the shooter after gunfire near the Old Town train depot left two people shot Friday night.
MANASSAS, VA — A 16-year-old girl was killed and a 21-year-old man was seriously wounded in a shooting Friday night in Old Town Manassas as thousands of people gathered downtown for the city’s First Friday event, police said.
The girl was pronounced dead after the Sept. 4 shooting, according to Manassas police. The 21-year-old man was taken to a Fairfax County hospital with serious injuries that were not considered life-threatening. Authorities had not publicly released either victim’s name as of Saturday, and no suspect had been taken into custody.
Police Chief Doug Keen said the shooting happened near the railroad tracks in the area of Foster’s Grille and the Manassas train depot. About 10,000 people were in Old Town that evening, Keen said. Police have not announced what led to the shooting, identified a possible motive or released a description of a suspect.
The shooting brought a large police response to the downtown area. Authorities initially told the public to avoid Old Town while officers and investigators worked at the scene. Police also established a reunification location at the Farmers Market lot on Prince William Street for people trying to find relatives who had been attending the event. The department later clarified that the shooting did not involve a police officer.
First Friday is a recurring downtown event organized around restaurants, shops, entertainment and other activities. Historic Manassas describes the gatherings as block parties held from 6 to 9 p.m. on scheduled Fridays from February through November. The Sept. 4 gathering was underway when the shooting occurred in the Old Town area.
Investigators are asking people who were downtown to provide any information, photographs or recordings that could help determine what happened. Police have specifically sought cellphone video, photographs and doorbell-camera recordings from around the time of the shooting. Detective Tim Urey is assigned to the investigation.
Keen said investigators believe people in the large crowd may have witnessed the shooting or recorded information that could help identify whoever was responsible. Police have asked people with potentially useful recordings to submit them directly to investigators rather than first posting the material publicly.
Mayor Michelle Davis Younger said the city was grieving after the violence disrupted an event intended to bring residents and visitors together. “Violence has no place in Manassas,” she said in a statement. She urged people with information to cooperate with investigators as police work to identify those responsible.
The case remains an active homicide investigation. As of Saturday, police had not announced an arrest, released the teenage victim’s identity or said what investigators believe prompted the gunfire. Authorities said additional information would be released when appropriate as detectives continue gathering evidence and interviewing witnesses.
Author note: Last updated September 5, 2026.