City Harvest Church in Vancouver was packed on Saturday as friends, family and coworkers gathered for a celebration of life for Corey Jones, the local man shot and killed after a confrontation at a neighborhood sports bar in early January. Car-club buddies, neighbors and colleagues filled the pews, trading stories about Jones’s generosity, his love of music and the quick smile that made him easy to spot in a crowd. Organizers said the memorial followed a series of grassroots events and fundraisers set up to support Jones’s children and wife. All of it is unfolding while the man accused in the shooting remains in custody and the investigation moves forward.
What police say about the shooting
Vancouver police say the shooting happened just before 1 a.m. on Jan. 3 outside the Off-Ramp Sports Bar after two men who had argued inside took the dispute into the parking lot. Officers later found a 43-year-old man dead at the scene. The suspect fled but turned himself in the next day, and the Major Crimes Unit opened an investigation, according to the City of Vancouver.
Friends remember Jones at the church service
On Saturday afternoon, people who worked with Jones and those who knew him outside the job filled the church, swapping memories and playing music he loved. It was the kind of gathering where the stories ran long and the tears and laughter showed up in equal measure. Clayton Evans, a coworker from FenceWorks Northwest, told the crowd, “He’s a good guy. And this really sucks that this happened.” As reported by KOIN, friends kept coming back to the same theme: Jones was the one who showed up to help.
Community vigils and fundraisers
Earlier this month, friends organized a car-show vigil that drew dozens of vehicles and raised money for Jones’s family, an organizer told FOX 12. Lined-up rides and engine revs turned into a rolling tribute for a man known in local car circles. “I just feel that the kids really need to know that there’s still good in the world,” organizer Tiffaney West said. Event organizers said proceeds would go directly to the family, according to KPTV.
Case status and next steps
The Vancouver release identified the suspect as 28-year-old Jared D. Taylor and states he was arrested and booked on Murder II and unlawful possession of a firearm, according to the City of Vancouver. Local reporting notes Taylor is being held at the Clark County Jail on a $2 million bond and is scheduled to return to court on Feb. 12 as prosecutors pursue a second-degree murder charge, per KOIN. Prosecutors and detectives have not released a motive as the Major Crimes Unit continues its work.
Investigation continues
The Vancouver Police Major Crimes Unit is still piecing together the circumstances surrounding the shooting and has told the public there is not believed to be a wider threat, local reporting says. In the meantime, friends and neighbors say the memorials, car shows and church gatherings are their way of keeping Jones’s memory close while the criminal case plays out in court.
