KILLEEN, Texas (KXXV) — A man is dead and Killeen's nightlife community is rattled following a deadly shooting around 3 a.m. Sunday morning. It happened at Club Krush, a well-known after-hours location just off the WS Young exit in Killeen.
The club, already under scrutiny after a separate shooting incident in March, confirmed the death of a man identified only as “Lil Fred” in their statement on Instagram. The post offered condolences to the victim’s family and noted that the venue had “cut ties” with several employees due to what it called “bad work actions.” The club also pledged to increase security moving forward.
But for many in Killeen, those promises ring hollow in the face of what they describe as a long-standing pattern of violence.
“It’s a shame what goes on there,” one resident told me anonymously. “They’re basically known for violence. They need to be shut down for the city’s safety.”
Those concerns are backed by Killeen Police Department data, which shows at least 57 service calls made to Club Krush's address since January 1, including 22 criminal incident reports tied to aggravated assault, weapons investigations, and narcotics trafficking.
KPD officials did not respond to requests for comment, and have not confirmed whether the shooting was gang-related. However, a local business owner and another resident I spoke with affirmed that active gangs do operate within Bell County, further fueling community anxieties.
While no one I interviewed felt safe enough to go on record with their identity and with the suspect still at large—their message was clear: something needs to change.
