Gunshots rang out near a private gathering of roughly 150 to 200 people on Church Street in Old Town Manassas late Friday night, sending officers who were already patrolling the area rushing to the scene. Police say the shooting happened around 11:12 p.m. near Bull Run Unitarian Universalist church, damaged a parked vehicle, and left no one injured.
According to Potomac Local, officers who were already patrolling Old Town heard the gunshots themselves and immediately responded to the scene. A private gathering of approximately 150 to 200 people had been taking place near the church, which, per its own description on the Bull Run Unitarian Universalists website, sits in Old Town Manassas. InsideNoVa reports that police received multiple 911 calls reporting the gunshots and that officers searched the church and surrounding area for anyone hurt, finding a large crowd leaving the scene.
No one was struck by gunfire, and no injuries have been reported, the report notes. Investigators did recover numerous cartridge casings in front of the church that were consistent with more than one firearm being discharged, and one parked vehicle was damaged in the incident.
What Police Believe Happened
Preliminary information indicates the shots do not appear to have been fired at any person, the same account states, and police say that, at this time, there is no evidence of a threat to public safety now that the area has been cleared. Per InsideNoVa, investigators also said bullets may have traveled a significant distance from the Church and Main Street area, prompting police to ask residents and business owners in and around Old Town to check their homes, vehicles, and property for related damage.
Anyone with information can reach police at the non-emergency number, 703-257-8000, while witnesses with photos or video are asked to contact Detective Thomas Barnes at 703-257-8047, according to InsideNoVa. Crime Solvers accepts anonymous tips 24 hours a day at 703-330-0330. The case remains an active investigation, and police said additional information would be released as it becomes available, per the Potomac Local report.
A Second Shooting In Weeks Near Old Town Gatherings
Friday's gunfire comes weeks after a far deadlier shooting struck Manassas during September's First Friday festival, when several men exchanged gunfire and a bullet struck and killed 16-year-old Ashley Intihar, a Patriot High School student who died at the scene, according to WTOP. Three men ranging in age from 19 to 23 were arrested in connection with that shooting, which unfolded amid an estimated 10,000 people attending the event, the station reports. In the aftermath, Manassas canceled the final planned First Friday of 2026, and city leaders and Historic Manassas have been reevaluating the safety protocols and procedures surrounding the monthly street festival.
Gunfire near crowded gatherings has surfaced elsewhere in Manassas this year, too. On Labor Day, police responded to a shooting in the parking lot of the Ninety Degrees restaurant on Rixlew Lane around 1 a.m., after a fight broke out between two groups who knew each other, one of which returned and allegedly opened fire, according to WJLA. Bullets struck the nearby World Alive Church International building in that incident, though no injuries or major property damage were reported.
Manassas police have not said whether Friday's shooting near Church Street is connected to the gathering itself or to any prior incidents in the city. For now, investigators are relying on residents and business owners to help identify any additional damage as the search for answers continues.
