Here's why cellphones across Texas (including yours) lit up early Friday morning

The Texas Department of Public Safety shortly before 5 a.m. issued a blue alert for a wanted suspect out of Memphis, Texas, a small town in Hall County in the Texas Panhandle.

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.

Altman -- who is white and was described at 6 feet, 2 inches tall and 220 pounds with red hair and blue eyes -- was last seen on foot around 11 p.m. Thursday in the 200 block of South 4th Street in Memphis, about 90 miles southeast of Amarillo and 275 miles northwest of Dallas. Altman was seen heading toward U.S. 287, according to the alert.

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."

KVII in Amarillo reported that Altman is accused of shooting Memphis Police Chief Rex Plant, while Plant was trying to serve a warrant.

KVII-TV reports Plant was listed in stable condition at a hospital in Lubbock. A hospital spokesperson did not immediately return a phone call from The Associated Press.