Tahj Johnson dies in fatal Pascagoula shooting
Fatal Pascagoula shooting death of Tahj Johnson
Law enforcement officials announced on Friday that an Ingalls Shipbuilding worker had been taken into custody on suspicion of murder, following a fatal shooting that erupted in the early hours of the morning and instigated a widespread lockdown across the expansive shipyard. According to authorities, the incident began when a staff member uncovered the body of a colleague on a U.S. Navy vessel still under construction. In response, officers conducted a sweeping search throughout the industrial complexes, boats, and warehouses to locate the suspected gunman among the thousands of employees present. By mid-morning, Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter confirmed that the individual apprehended was identified as the shooter.
Pascagoula Police Chief Terry Scott characterized the shooting as a regrettable but isolated conflict that involved two acquaintances. He noted, “The confrontation was confined to these two young men.” Responding around 7:30 a.m., officers proceeded to the prominent shipyard, which employs more than 10,000 individuals involved in constructing vessels for the Navy and Coast Guard. Upon entering the premises, Ingalls Shipbuilding issued an alert regarding an active shooter, prompting employees to seek shelter in place for several hours as police meticulously examined the grounds.
The victim has been identified as Tahj Johnson, a 27-year-old from Prichard, Alabama. Jackson County Deputy Coroner James Prisock reported that Johnson passed away on the ship where he was employed. The suspect, Curtis Demetries James Jr., a 25-year-old Ingalls employee originally from Mobile, was being examined by detectives on the day of the incident but was subsequently incarcerated in the Jackson County jail without bail.
It remains uncertain how the suspect managed to enter the shipyard, a secure site that enforces a ban on weapons unless they are specifically required for security roles. At a press conference on Friday, Ingalls Shipbuilding president Brian Blanchette indicated that the company would collaborate with law enforcement to investigate the matter further. Scott added, “I am completely unaware of how he managed to bring a firearm onto the premises.”
At least two shots were fired during the early morning hours on a Navy ship under development near the waterfront section of the shipyard. An employee discovered Johnson’s body deceased and promptly contacted emergency services. It is believed that numerous workers performing industrial tasks on the vessel may have absorbed the gunshots, and the ongoing operation by police to clear the ship involved relocating personnel. Authorities stated the suspect evaded detection initially by seamlessly integrating with the crowd.
Upon their arrival at Ingalls, police requested company executives to provide head counts and segregate workers into distinct groups for questioning. They focused on employees who could offer details about the suspect’s attire. Later, police reported that James departed the boat and proceeded to a warehouse within the shipyard, where he was eventually located. Scott mentioned that officers took over an hour and twenty-seven minutes to pinpoint the suspect amid the large workforce.
Ingalls Shipbuilding expressed profound sorrow over the tragic event. President Brian Blanchette conveyed his “profound grief” and noted, “This represents the worst imaginable scenario to encounter.” Spokesperson Danny Hernandez described the company as “devastated” by “the loss of a colleague.” He extended his deepest sympathies to the victim’s family and friends.
Limited information is available about Johnson or James, but police confirmed both were painters at the facility. Scott revealed that the two individuals had engaged in an argument earlier in the week in Prichard, though he did not disclose the nature of their disagreement. To address the situation, Ingalls sent all employees home with full pay on Friday and intends to provide grief counseling services. This incident marks the second fatality at the shipyard in recent years, with a comparable tragedy occurring in 2005 when a worker killed a supervisor.
The police indicated no other individuals were harmed during the incident, and no vessels sustained damage. Sheriff Ledbetter mentioned searches were ongoing in all buildings James was known to have frequented. On the following day, Scott reported that a dive team was continuing the search for the weapon. Authorities have not yet confirmed if any witnesses were present and are soliciting information from the public.
