MEMPHIS, Texas — Cellphones across Texas buzzed and lit up early Friday morning while authorities searched for a suspect.
The Texas Department of Public Safety issued a Blue Alert for a wanted suspect shortly before 5 a.m. Friday.
Seth Altman, 33, was named as the wanted suspect, according to the alert, which is aimed at helping authorities find suspects who are accused in incidents involving a law enforcement officer.
The search for Altman was out of Memphis, Texas, a small town in Hall County in the Texas Panhandle.
Authorities said Altman wounded Memphis Police Chief Rex Plant. The Texas Department of Public Safety said Plant was shot late Thursday night when he and an officer tried to arrest Altman on a burglary charge.
The Blue Alert warned Texans to call 911 if they see him and to not approach him. A release from the Texas Department of Public Safety said officials believe Altman "to be associated with the serious injury of a law enforcement officer, involving a serious risk or threat to the public and other law enforcement personnel."
What is a Blue Alert?
Blue Alerts work very similar to other alerts such as Amber Alerts, missing endangered alerts or Medina Alerts.
Blue Alerts are one of several public safety alerts issued by the state when authorities need help finding someone. Most of the time, those alerts are in the form of AMBER Alerts or Silver Alerts for missing people.
Blue Alerts are issued when authorities are searching for someone who is wanted for possible involvement in the killing or serious injury of a law enforcement officer.
Here's the full criteria for a Blue Alert, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety's website:
- A law enforcement officer must have been killed or seriously injured by an offender.
- The investigating law enforcement agency must determine that the offender poses a serious risk or threat to the public and other law enforcement personnel.
- A detailed description of the offender's vehicle, vehicle tag, or partial tag must be available for broadcast to the public.
- The investigating law enforcement agency of jurisdiction must recommend activation of the Blue Alert to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
Reporting from WFAA and the Associated Press contributed to this report.