On the evening of February 18, 2026, 18-year-old Andrew AJ Wayne Mitts Jr. was fatally shot in the Maple Leaf Drive area of Staunton, Virginia. Mitts, a senior at Buffalo Gap High School, was pronounced dead at the scene. A 19-year-old male also suffered life-threatening gunshot injuries and was airlifted to the University of Virginia Medical Center.

The Augusta County Sheriff’s Office responded around 7:46 p.m. and found both victims with gunshot wounds. Authorities described the incident as an isolated event related to the illegal sale of handguns and recovered numerous firearms from the scene. A close friend of Mitts’ mother posted a differing account on a GoFundMe, saying Mitts was taking out the trash and caught in crossfire during a robbery, and was shot five times.

Two men have been taken into custody in connection with the shooting. Agereon Dondell Price, 51, of Staunton, surrendered and was arrested on February 20, 2026; Anthony Shamon Washington, 46, of Waynesboro, surrendered and was arrested on February 22, 2026. Washington faces multiple weapons- and drug-related charges; both are being held without bond and investigators say additional charges are expected.

Did anyone in the Staunton or Buffalo Gap High School community see or hear anything that night?