A night of leisure turned into tragedy when 21-year-old Jasiya Ahmar Vaughn was fatally shot outside the Alamo Drafthouse. The shooting happened just before 10:50 p.m. Thursday in the 15200 block of Potomac Town Place, a busy entertainment district usually filled with families, moviegoers, and diners.
Police confirmed that Vaughn was struck multiple times at close range and collapsed near the theater entrance. Despite urgent efforts by first responders, he was pronounced dead at the scene. A second victim, an 18-year-old man, sustained a graze wound and is expected to recover.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene as gunfire erupted, sending crowds fleeing for safety. “It was panic everywhere—people were running and screaming,” one bystander said.
Authorities reported that the suspect fled immediately after the shooting. Investigators are reviewing surveillance footage and gathering eyewitness accounts in hopes of identifying the assailant. At this time, no arrests have been made, and the motive remains unclear.
The area, normally a lively social hub, quickly turned into a taped-off crime scene, with flashing patrol lights illuminating stunned onlookers. Detectives and forensic teams worked late into the night, marking evidence and interviewing witnesses.
Friends and family have begun expressing grief, remembering Vaughn as a young man full of promise whose life was tragically cut short. Police are urging anyone with information to come forward, stressing that community cooperation is vital to bringing justice for Vaughn and his loved ones.