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Spc. Shelby Tyler Jones, 20, was pronounced dead from a gunshot wound at 3:45 a.m. Sunday, March 1, 2020, outside of a convenience store on Fort Hood Street.

Spc. Shelby Tyler Jones, 20, was pronounced dead from a gunshot wound at 3:45 a.m. Sunday, March 1, 2020, outside of a convenience store on Fort Hood Street. (Facebook)

AUSTIN, Texas — A Fort Hood soldier was shot and killed Sunday at a strip club near the base, according to information released by base officials and the Killeen Police Department.

Spc. Shelby Tyler Jones, 20, was pronounced dead from a gunshot wound at 3:45 a.m. Sunday outside of a convenience store on Fort Hood Street, where the shooting was originally thought to have occurred, according to a news release from police on the incident.

During the investigation by Killeen police, they determined the shooting happened about 40 minutes earlier at Club Dreams, about half a mile down the street. Police are still searching for the shooter, but they said they are investigating Jones’ death as a murder.

Jones is from Jena, La., and he entered the Army in May 2017 as a cavalry scout, according to a news release from Fort Hood. He joined Fort Hood’s 3rd Cavalry Regiment in August 2018 and deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Inherent Resolve from May 2018 through January 2019.

"Spc. Shelby Jones was a highly valued member of the Brave Rifles team, and his loss is profoundly felt by all of his friends and fellow troopers in the 3rd Cavalry Regiment,” Col. Ralph Overland, the regimental commander, said in a prepared statement. “He was a dedicated professional who truly loved his family and the Army. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family, friends, and loved ones of Spc. Jones. Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this difficult time."

Jones’ awards and decorations include the Global War on Terrorism Medal, National Defense Service Medal and the Army Service Ribbon, according to the release.

Police are asking anyone with information regarding Jones’ death to contact Crime Stoppers at 254-526-TIPS (8477) or go online at www.bellcountycrimestoppers.com.

thayer.rose@stripes.com Twitter: @Rose_Lori

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Rose L. Thayer is based in Austin, Texas, and she has been covering the western region of the continental U.S. for Stars and Stripes since 2018. Before that she was a reporter for Killeen Daily Herald and a freelance journalist for publications including The Alcalde, Texas Highways and the Austin American-Statesman. She is the spouse of an Army veteran and a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in journalism. Her awards include a 2021 Society of Professional Journalists Washington Dateline Award and an Honorable Mention from the Military Reporters and Editors Association for her coverage of crime at Fort Hood.

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