FERRIDAY, La. &045; With police and sheriff’s deputies closing in, attempted murder suspect Calvin Johnson turned himself in Tuesday morning.

Johnson, a 38-year-old Ferriday resident, allegedly stabbed Benjamin Harris, 23, at Top Cats on the corner of La. 15 and Delaware Avenue on Jan. 2.

Ferriday Police Chief Bobby Sheppard said the incident began with a disagreement over an unknown subject.

&uot;It started with a verbal altercation outside in the parking lot,&uot; Sheppard said. &uot;They were just arguing and fussing.&uot;

Sheppard said the business owner heard the noise and asked the two men to leave. Johnson reportedly drove off. Harris remained at Top Cats, where he joined in a game of pool.

Minutes later, according to reports, Johnson returned with a knife, apparently wasting no time in escalating the violence.

&uot;(Johnson) went inside the game room and proceeded to stab the victim,&uot; Sheppard said.

Sheppard said Harris attempted to escape to the parking lot, but the fight continued.

&uot;Johnson came behind him and they started struggling on the outside.&uot;

Sheppard said that after stabbing Harris several times in the chest and abdomen, Johnson fled the scene in his vehicle, which Concordia Parish Sheriff’s deputies found abandoned on La. 3232 later that night.

Harris was rushed to Riverland Medical Center, where he was treated for severe stab wounds and blood loss.

‘The wounds that he sustained were very life-threatening,&uot; Sheppard said.

Harris was just taken out of intensive care on Monday.

Johnson turned himself in at approximately 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at the Sheriff’s Office.

He was arrested by Ferriday police and is currently in custody at the Parish Jail.

Sheppard said Johnson was taciturn during questioning but did claim that Harris had stabbed him first and that the subsequent attack was an attempt at self-defense.

Although police are investigating every aspect of the crime, Sheppard said it appeared Johnson was the aggressor.

&uot;As of right now, we don’t have anything pointing in the direction of self-defense,&uot; he said.