In the late morning of May 15, 2024, a transaction believed to be a drug deal in a busy Centreville, Virginia shopping center parking lot escalated into a fatal exchange of gunfire. The incident, which unfolded around 9:30 a.m. in the 14600 block of U.S. 29, left 18-year-old Michael Alcantara of Manassas dead at the scene from gunshot wounds to his upper body. The male victim was discovered by Fairfax County police officers who responded to reports of shots fired.
Despite their life-saving efforts, Alcantara succumbed to his injuries.
The police investigation revealed that Alcantara and another 18-year-old, Hassan Kanu of Centreville, were inside a vehicle together before the altercation. Both men exited the car and fired weapons at each other. Kanu also sustained serious, initially life-threatening, gunshot wounds to his upper body and was transported to a local hospital for treatment. Authorities recovered two firearms and an unspecified quantity of drugs from the scene, leading them to conclude the shooting was not a random act but rather related to an illegal narcotics transaction.
Following his release from the hospital, Hassan Kanu was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony in connection with Michael Alcantara's death. He was subsequently held at the Adult Detention Center without bond. Police officials reassured the public that all individuals involved were accounted for and that there was no further threat to the community. The investigation into the deadly encounter is ongoing.
