Michael Alcantara was an 18-year-old sous chef from Manassas, Virginia, who sold marijuana to help support his family and carried a gun for protection after prior robberies and an assault. He had been in a four-year relationship; his death occurred two weeks before his girlfriend’s high school graduation.

On the morning of May 15, 2024, Alcantara arranged a sale with 18-year-old Hassan Kanu. Around 9:30 a.m. Alcantara pulled into the Centre Lee Business Park in the 14600 block of U.S. 29 in Centreville. Kanu, who had been waiting nearby, entered the passenger seat; about ten minutes later both men, armed, exited the vehicle and exchanged gunfire in the busy parking lot. Alcantara was struck multiple times in the upper body and pronounced dead at the scene. Kanu suffered serious, life-threatening wounds and was taken to a hospital.

Investigators recovered two firearms and an unspecified quantity of drugs and concluded the shooting grew out of a drug deal rather than being random. While in the hospital, Kanu was arrested and charged with second-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony; prosecutors later added a robbery resulting in death charge. If anyone knew Michael or saw the parking lot that morning, please share what might help clarify what happened.