“I’m about to shoot Tahj Johnson.” That’s what Curtis “CJ” James Jr. told a friend at Ingalls Shipbuilding the same morning police say he carried out the threat, shooting and killing 27-year-old painter Tahj Johnson. James, 25, of Mobile, Alabama, is charged with murder in the Aug. 22 killing at Ingalls. A witness told Pascagoula police she warned James, “You can’t talk like that,” but she didn’t believe he would follow through.

Investigators said James had also sent text messages threatening to “pop off” Johnson — slang for shooting him.

When officers searched James’ car after the attack, they found an AK-15 style assault rifle, which Pascagoula Police Detective Jonathan Blakeney said he believed he may have planned to use if he hadn’t been captured.

Friendship turned deadl

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