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BLUE ALERT: Officials searching for man accused of shooting Texas police officer

Wise County Sheriff Lane Akin says Wood is also a suspect in a home invasion robbery.

RHOME, Texas — The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is searching for a man accused of shooting and injuring a Rhome police officer on Sunday.

According to DPS, Royce Wood, 43, was last seen around 8 p.m. at the intersection of Highway 287 and Farm-to-Market Road 407 in Rhome, just northeast of Fort Worth.

Wise County Sheriff Lane Akin says Wood is also a suspect in a home invasion robbery in the area on Saturday. Deputies and Rhome officers tried to stop Wood after getting a tip he was in the area on Sunday riding a motorcycle with a woman. 

Rhome police found Wood first and initiated a traffic stop. Officials say Wood got off the bike and started running. Police chased him and Wood fired a gun at the officers striking one of them in the lower leg, Sheriff Akin said.  

Wood was wearing a baseball cap with a camouflage bandana around it, black sunglasses, a vest, a green shirt and shorts. 

The sheriff added the woman is in custody and the Rhome officer is doing well.

"We're exceedingly fortunate," Sheriff Akin said. "We're very happy that the officer's doing well. We feel pretty good about his condition."

He also asked people living near Highway 287 and FM 407 to keep their doors locked.

The shooting prompted DPS to issue a Blue Alert.

RELATED: What is a Blue Alert in Texas?

Blue Alerts are designed to speed in the apprehension of violent criminals who kill or seriously wound local, state or federal law enforcement officers. 

Below are the criteria for a Blue Alert:

  • 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 DPS.



    



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