Shortly before 5 a.m., Texas officials blasted out a bulletin to cell phones statewide that came with a full-volume alarm. The warnings, dubbed "Blue Alerts," were created in 2008 to help find suspects believed to have harmed law enforcement officers.
In Friday's case, the Texas Department of Public Safety was looking for 33-year-old Seth Altman, who's suspected of injuring a deputy in Hall County, located southwest of Amarillo.
Although social media users expressed concern about the officer's well-being, many were either confused, annoyed or both about why the entire state should receive the alert.
"Pushing a 'Blue alert' through at 4:50 a.m. using the whole-state emergency alert system for a state as big as Texas is insane," pissed-off Texan @Kerry_Pro tweeted. "The county is hundreds of miles away. What the fuck do you want me to do about it at 5 a.m., 8 hours away in my pajamas?"
Other social media users even made memes to mock the alert.Pushing a βBlue alertβ through at 4:50am using the whole-state emergency alert system for a state as big as Texas is insane. The county is hundreds of miles away. What the fuck do you want me to do about it at 5am, 8 hours away in my pajamas?
— Kerry (@Kerry_Pro) October 4, 2024
No better alarm clock than a blue alert amirite pic.twitter.com/kgZetYAU5t
— Avery Tomasco (@averytomascowx) October 4, 2024
Nobody:
— Chase Gilmer (@datboizilla) October 4, 2024
Not a single soul:@TexasDPS1 Blue Alert at 4:53 AM this morning. pic.twitter.com/xzGYRdfuOk
Now that the entire state is aware of the situation in the Panhandle, residents should be on the lookout for Altman, who's "wanted for the involvement in the killing or serious injury of a law enforcement officer," according to Texas DPS.4:53 Blue Alert wake up call on a Friday.
— π°πππππ ππππππ | πΊ (@drewmaniac) October 4, 2024
Me the rest of the day. pic.twitter.com/zhrM3PwoW0
Altman, a white male, is approximately 6-foot-2 and weighs 220 pounds. He has blue eyes and auburn hair and was last seen in Memphis, Texas. Authorities consider Altman to be armed and dangerous.
Even if you were lucky enough to have slept through this morning's blaring signal, consider yourself warned.
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