Blue Alert issued after Memphis police officer shot

A Memphis police officer has been critically injured in a shooting in Memphis, Tennessee, according to local media reports.

The Memphis Police Department has not disclosed details about the circumstances surrounding the incident but told WREG Memphis the officer is in critical yet stable condition. The identity of the officer has not been released.

The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation issued a statewide Blue Alert around midnight local time, identifying 40-year-old Danell Maxwell as wanted for the attempted first-degree murder of a Memphis police officer. Maxwell is described as 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighing around 180 pounds. He was last seen wearing dark-colored clothing along with an orange and green reflective vest. Authorities said he was armed with a silver handgun and should be considered armed and dangerous.

A blue alert is issued to help capture violent suspects who have killed or seriously injured an officer in the line of duty, if a suspect is believed to pose an imminent and credible threat to law enforcement, or if an officer goes missing while on duty.

“An attack on one of our officers is an attack on the safety of our entire community. The men and women who wear the badge put their lives on the line every single day even during routine and this kind of violence cannot and will not be tolerated,” said JB Smiley Jr, a Memphis City councilman. “My prayers are with the officer, their family, and every member of the Memphis Police Department. We are praying for a full and speedy recovery.”

This is a developing story and will be updated.