IDs of victims released after Tyler shooting
Posted/updated on: January 1, 2026 at 4:05 pm
SMITH COUNTY – On Monday afternoon, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office held a press conference to provide updates and release the identities of the victims in the fatal shooting that took place at Valley Blues nightclub on Sunday morning. According to our news partner KETK, Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith identified the victim who was killed in the shooting as 23-year-old Aaron Lamar Jackson, who was pronounced dead after being taken to a local hospital.
Smith also identified the other victim in the shooting as 23-year-old Aaron Gordon Johnson Jr. Smith said that Johnson is currently in the hospital and is expected to recover from his injuries after he was in critical condition following the shooting. Authorities do believe that the shooting was gang-related, claiming that rival gangs were both at the club, leading to the incident.
“When rival gangs show up at the same location, this is what you get,” Smith said.
The investigation is ongoing and the sheriff’s office is currently working with the Tyler Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas Game Warden K-9 Unit to investigate the shooting.
