On the evening of January 6, 2021, a tragic series of events unfolded in Manassas, Virginia, leading to the death of 55-year-old Eric Mark Mitchell. A male of Black/African American descent, Mitchell was fatally shot in his home on Ellis Road in the Signal Hill area of Prince William County. The incident, which was domestic in nature, also left three other family members seriously injured.
The perpetrator was identified as Eric Mitchell's 21-year-old son, Asa Ellington Mitchell. After shooting his father, Asa also shot his 56-year-old mother, Constance, his 76-year-old grandmother, and his 16-year-old brother. All three survived their injuries. Following the shooting at the family home, Asa fled in a Toyota Camry.
Asa Mitchell's flight from the scene led to a second fatality. After crashing his vehicle in Delaplane, about 35 miles away in Fauquier County, he encountered 74-year-old motorist Francis Drew of Markham. Asa shot and killed Drew before fleeing on foot. Law enforcement from the Prince William County Police Department, the Fauquier County Sheriff's Office, and the Virginia State Police were involved in the investigation.
Ultimately, authorities discovered Asa Mitchell deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a wooded area near the crash site. Due to the suspect's death, no arrests were made in connection with the deaths of Eric Mark Mitchell and Francis Drew. The investigation concluded that the initial shootings were the result of a domestic conflict, though a specific motive was not publicly released.
