Fort Hood Soldier, Recently Returned from West Africa, Found Dead

Monkey Business Images/Thinkstock(KILLEEN, Texas) — A soldier was found dead in his yard Tuesday morning at Fort Hood.

The soldier had recently returned from work with the U.S. military mission in Liberia on emergency leave. Fort Hood says it will work with the Killeen Police Department, and that while there were no indications that he had contracted Ebola, medical tests were under way to ensure that there was no threat to the community.

A statement from the Killeen Police Department noted that precautionary measures were taken after the soldier’s body was found. He was pronounced dead at 8:26 a.m. local time Tuesday.

The identity of the soldier has been withheld.

The KPD also noted that “there is no confirmation that Ebola is present” and that “it was better to err on the side of caution in the interest of public safety.”

A defense official told ABC News that to be considered for an emergency leave and a return to the U.S., the soldier would have been required to answer specific questions regarding contact with possible Ebola victims while in West Africa.

Fort Hood said later Tuesday that the initial test results on the soldier came back negative for Ebola, but that a second negative test was required to ensure the safety of the community. That second test was underway Tuesday afternoon.

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