Delivery Driver Killed in Shooting at Manassas Denny's: Police

MANASSAS, VA — Two armed men shot two people at a Denny's on Sudley Road in Manassas early Thursday morning, killing one and seriously injuring the other, the Prince William County Police Department said Dec. 26. The police believe the two suspects are connected to a series of armed robberies in Prince William County over the past week, including an armed robbery of a bowling alley in Manassas.

The police department identified the man who was shot and killed at the Denny's restaurant as Yusuf Ozgur, 56, of Manassas. The second victim shot was identified as a 34-year-old man of Rixeyville who remains hospitalized.

Ozgur, a father of two, worked for the DoorDash food delivery service and was at the Denny's to pick up a to-go order. The other victim, who was dining at the restaurant with other people, was treated for serious injuries and is expected to survive. A total of 23 people, including customers and employees, were at the restaurant during the incident.

Prince William police officers responded to the incident at 8201 Sudley Road at 2:25 a.m. on Dec. 26. Upon arrival, the officers located the gunshot wound victims and provided first-aid until rescue personnel arrived. Both Ozgur and the 34-year-old victim were transported to an area hospital where Ozgur died as a result of his injuries. A police K-9 searched for the suspects who were not located.

According to the police department's preliminary investigation, the two armed men entered the Denny's where one of the men brandished a handgun while the second suspect was armed with a baton. The men ordered the patrons of the restaurant and employees to the ground while demanding their cell phones and wallets. The men also demanded money from the Denny's cash registers.

As the suspects were leaving, the suspect armed with a handgun shot the 34-year-old man who was being cooperative while sitting on the ground as initially demanded. The suspects also encountered Ozgur, who was walking into the Denny's and unknowingly held the door for the suspects as they exited. The suspect armed with the baton struck Ozgur in the head then the second suspect shot him. The suspects then fled on foot. According to the police, the suspects did not take any money or property from the Denny's.

At an afternoon press conference Thursday, Prince William County police chief Barry M. Barnard said the police department believes the Denny's incident could be connected to a Dec. 21 armed robbery of a Bowl America in Manassas, a Dec. 23 armed robbery of a Comfort Inn Suites in Manassas, and a Dec. 24 armed robbery of a Walgreens in Woodbridge.

In the Bowl America armed robbery, the suspects used similar weapons to the ones used in the Denny's incident. According to police, one of the suspects brandished a firearm and demanded money from the Bowl America cash registers and the other suspect pulled out a baton and retrieved the money from the cash registers.

The Prince William County Police Department, together with the FBI, is offering a $10,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individuals in connection to the Dec. 26 incident at the Denny's.

Barnard asked for the public's help in finding the suspects. The police chief said it doesn't matter if the information seems minor. "We often solve crimes with just a small bit of information," he said at the press conference.

The suspects are described as two black males, in their late teens or early twenties. They are described as five-feet ten-inches to six-feet tall, weighing about 180 pounds. They were last seen wearing all black or dark colored clothing.

Anyone with information about the killing and armed robbery is asked to contact the Prince William County Police Department tipline at 703-792-7000 or submit a webtip to www.pwcgov.org/policetip.