Manassas Denny's Shooting Victim Leaves Behind Wife, 2 Children

MANASSAS, VA — A GoFundMe site has been set up for a 56-year-old man who was gunned down early Thursday during a robbery at a Denny's restaurant in Manassas.

Yusuf Ozgur, a 56-year-old American of Turkish descent, was picking up a delivery at the Denny's on Sudley Road when two robbery suspects were leaving the restaurant. Ozgur opened the door for the two, not knowing that they had just shot a customer, authorities said. One suspect hit Ozgur in the head with a baton, and the other shot and killed him, police said.

Ozgur was picking up food for a customer as a DoorDash driver. DoorDash released a statement about Ozgur's death, saying, "We are deeply saddened by the loss of Yusuf Ozgur, a Manassas-area Dasher. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and loved ones, and we are reaching out to his family to offer our full support during this difficult time."

"I'll never see him again," his 16-year-old daughter told ABC7. Ozgur's family said he was a handyman who was working as a delivery driver to earn extra money for their family.

The other shooting victim was hospitalized but was expected to survive, police said.

At an afternoon press conference Thursday, Prince William County Police Chief Barry M. Barnard said the police department believes the Denny's incident is linked 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. Barnard said the police department believes the crimes are connected because of the similar suspect, weapon and ammo descriptions.

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.

The police department has joined with the FBI to offer a $10,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the persons involved in the Denny's incident.

The GoFundMe page was set up to help Ozgur's family with his funeral and memorial. "He was a great, hardworking man that leaves behind two young children and a wife. We are asking for donations to fund his funeral and other expenses," the organizers of the GoFundMe page wrote about Ozgur. Any extra funds will be passed on to his wife and children. Ozgur "was the main bread maker for his family, so any help is greatly appreciated," the organizers wrote.

For Ozgur's funeral, people will gather at noon Saturday at the Diyanet Center of America, 9610 Good Luck Road, Lanham, Maryland, and then will have a midday prayer. For more information about the funeral, call 240-435-8557. Ozgur's body will then be transported to Fredericksburg, Virginia, for burial around 3:30 p.m. at 1112 Brooke Road.

GoFundMe is a Patch business partner.