On the evening of July 25, 2026, in the small city of Clairton, Pennsylvania, the life of 32-year-old Robert Allen Gottie Jones was tragically cut short in a burst of gunfire. The shooting, which also claimed the life of another man, Terez Russell, unfolded around 6:35 p.m. in the 800 block of Miller Avenue, a scene that would soon be swarming with law enforcement and marked by the grim evidence of violence. First responders arrived to a chaotic scene outside The Village Inn, where they found both Jones and Russell suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The two men were rushed to a nearby hospital, but their injuries proved to be fatal.
Witnesses at the scene reported seeing the suspects flee in a vehicle immediately after the shooting, disappearing into the evening as a homicide investigation began. The community was left in shock, with residents expressing their disbelief and sorrow over the senseless violence that had erupted in their neighborhood. The area outside the local bar was littered with personal belongings and more than a dozen evidence markers, a stark testament to the brutal events that had transpired. The Allegheny County Police Department's Homicide Unit took the lead on the case, appealing to the public for any information that could help identify those responsible.
The investigation quickly gained momentum, and just four days later, on July 29, authorities announced the arrest of 19-year-old Dashawn Hines of Clairton, who was charged with homicide in connection with the shooting. The very next day, a second arrest was made. Temon Jackson, a 20-year-old from Clairton, was taken into custody and charged with hindering apprehension and tampering with evidence. According to the criminal complaint, Jackson was the alleged driver of the getaway vehicle, a silver Nissan SUV. He claimed to have been forced to drive the shooter at gunpoint. Surveillance footage from The Village Inn captured the moments leading up to the double homicide, showing the SUV pulling up alongside Jones and Russell before a man in the back seat opened fire with what appeared to be a semi-automatic weapon. The case against both Hines and Jackson is ongoing as the Clairton community continues to mourn the loss of Robert Allen Jones and Terez Russell.
