Husband Of Baltimore Police Lieutenant Killed Because Of Mistaken Identity, Sources Say
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Why would someone want to kill James Blue? The respected father of three was shot multiple times at close range last month as he waited for an appliance delivery outside a home he had recently bought as a fixer-upper.
Police had already ruled out that his wife's job, as a lieutenant in BPD internal affairs, was behind the killing.
Now, multiple sources are telling WJZ this is a case of mistaken identity. They said Blue was killed because the suspect was suspicious of why he was just sitting in his car talking on his phone for so long, even though Blue was only waiting for a refrigerator to be delivered.
We are still working to confirm the details, and police are not commenting on that alleged motive.
They did make a quick arrest in the case, 18-year-old Mervo High student Sahiou Kargbo, who has been charged with murder. The shooting happened in the 1400-block of Walker Avenue in Northeast Baltimore.
Baltimore County police had already linked the suspect to an armed robbery in Parkville and obtained a warrant for his home several days before the murder of James Blue III.
— WJZ | CBS Baltimore (@wjz) February 8, 2022
But that no-knock warrant was not served until the day after Blue was killed. https://t.co/PrEmJL2HPl
"Detectives tracked the suspect's movements, which led them to a great piece of evidence that helped them break through," BPD Detective Donny Moses told WJZ on February 2nd.
The victim's son was on the phone with him at the time of the killing. He later wrote about those terrifying moments in a tribute to his father on GoFundMe.
"You didn't deserve to be murdered in broad [daylight] waiting for a refrigerator. You would take my little siblings to the fixer-upper house all the time. You were minutes from leaving to go watch lil bro play in his basketball game. You were minding your business when you were mistakenly identified a street over from your mother's house and murdered.… I heard 20 shots on the phone, but I couldn't believe that they were at you…"
Last week, WJZ spoke to a neighbor who rushed to comfort his father. "I hope his family will find some solace, some comfort in although they weren't there, that someone was. That he wasn't alone. That people cared and wanted them to survive. Unfortunately, that did not happen," he said.
The terrible toll of violent crime… A neighbor of James Blue rushed outside and tried to comfort Blue as he gasped for air. He told us he regrets not holding his hand while waiting for an ambulance. Blue, a father of three, was the husband of a BPD lieutenant. @wjz pic.twitter.com/1VSmxzNBlq
— Mike Hellgren (@HellgrenWJZ) February 4, 2022
WJZ has reported that the suspect was linked to two open warrants at the time of the killing.
One was issued December 28th for allegedly discharging a firearm in Baltimore City, another was a search warrant for his home because of an armed robbery police believe he committed in Baltimore County.
It was signed by a judge on January 21st but not served until January 26th. Blue was killed January 25th, the day before.
Responding to concerns that the warrant was not served immediately, Baltimore County police told us Monday they needed time to coordinate with their officers and Baltimore City police before carrying out that warrant.
When it was served, the suspect was found inside of his home and arrested.