What is a Blue Alert?

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Benjamin Song Blue Alert

DALLAS - After a Blue Alert was sent to the entire state of Texas Wednesday evening for a suspect wanted in the Dallas area, many are wondering what the alerts mean and why residents hundreds of miles away receive them.

Blue Alerts

Blue Alerts are similar to AMBER Alerts and are meant to help speed up the apprehension of violent criminals who have hurt or killed law enforcement.

In addition to phones, the alerts are also shared on TxDOT's dynamic messaging signs.

In order to issue a Blue Alert the situation must fit four criteria, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety:

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 to send to the public.
The investigating law enforcement agency of jurisdiction must recommend that the Blue Alert be activated.

Blue Alerts were created by an executive order from Texas Governor Rick Perry in 2008.

Benjamin Song

Dig deeper:

On Wednesday, July 9, a Blue Alert was sent out for Benjamin Song, a Dallas man wanted in connection with the Fourth of July "ambush" at an ICE facility in Alvaredo.

Benjamin Hanil Song

Song is believed to have fired AR-15-style rifles at three officers during the attack, after other suspects allegedly lured them out of the facility.

Song has been sought since his name was reportedly discovered to be connected to the rifles found at the scene. He was last believed to have been caught on camera on Sunday, July 6, at the DFW Airport.

The FBI is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to Song's arrest.

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