What is a Blue Alert? Notification sounds off on Florida phones after Nassau deputy shot
On Sunday, Sept. 26, phones across Florida lit up with a Blue Alert warning the public about Patrick McDowell, suspected of fatally shooting Nassau County Deputy Joshua Moyers on Friday.
“McDowell is the subject of a Florida Blue Alert because he is suspected of killing a Florida Law Enforcement Officer. If located, DO NOT APPROACH. Contact Law Enforcement immediately.”
Help us find Patrick McDowell. Please retweet this to get the word out. #findMcDowell pic.twitter.com/7fPsMjcsNZ
— Nassau County SO (@NCSO_FL) September 26, 2021
But just what is a Blue Alert?
What happened: Nassau County deputy Joshua Moyers died after being shot at a traffic stop. Here's what we know.
Taylor County deputy shot: What was that Florida Blue Alert on my phone? Four things to know about the alerts
What is a Blue Alert?
Florida has three alert systems the state can activate during emergencies. AMBER Alerts notify the public about missing or endangered children. Silver Alerts are broadcast to help find or rescue missing adults with memory problems.
The Florida Blue Alert notifies the public of critical information when a law enforcement officer is killed, seriously hurt or missing and the suspect is still at large, according to its website.
Are Blue Alerts just for phones?
Blue Alerts are sent out when the information about a shooting suspect would prevent further harm or help catch the suspect. They go out to phones, but thanks to a partnership between the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Blue Alerts also are pushed to television, radio, and dynamic message signs located along the state’s highways.
What triggers a Blue Alert?
All of the following must be met in order to activate a Blue Alert:
A sworn law enforcement officer is killed, sustains life threatening injuries or the officer is missing in the line of duty under circumstances warranting concern for the law enforcement officer’s safety
The suspect(s) pose(s) an imminent threat to public safety and law enforcement personnel
A description of the offender or vehicle is available for statewide broadcast to the public and law enforcement 911 centers.
Can I sign up to get Florida Blue Alerts in my email?
Yes. Just go the the FDLE Alert Notification Registration page and sign up.
When did the Florida Blue Alert begin?
Florida was the first state to implement a Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) Alert system, signed by Governor Charlie Crist in May 2008, which sent warnings about suspects at large for killing or seriously injuring law enforcement officers to overhead signage on state highways.
On Oct.1, 2011 Governor Rick Scott signed an executive order establishing the Florida LEO Blue Alert Plan that, among other things, added television and radio broadcasts.
President Barack Obama signed the Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu National Blue Alert Act of 2015 to create a national alert system and help coordinate state systems, named after two New York Police Department officers killed in an ambush attack. Authorities in Maryland knew of a threat the suspect posted online — and even knew he was in Brooklyn — but had no way to alert police in New York. They eventually sent a fax of the suspect's photo, just a minute before the fatal shooting.
From 2015: Obama signs 'Blue Alert' law to protect police
From 2016: Congress troubled by Blue Alert delays after ambush attacks on police
Blue Alerts were integrated into the Federal Communication Commission's Emergency Alert and Wireless Emergency Alert systems in December 2017.
What happened to Nassau County Deputy Joshua Moyers?
At 2:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 24, Moyers stopped a Chrysler minivan In Jacksonville on Sandy Ford Road near railroad tracks in the Callahan area of U.S. 301. The driver, next to a female passenger, didn't have a license and gave the deputy a false name, Nassau County Sheriff Bill Leeper said. Once Moyers learned it didn't match with the minivan, he asked the driver if he had any weapons and to get out of the vehicle.
A train was approaching, Leeper said. The driver shot Moyers under his right eye, then again in his back before fleeing just before the railroad crossing arms came down, the sheriff said.
A second deputy found Moyers on the ground, while the abandoned minivan -- later determined to have been stolen -- and the passenger were found by a wooded area nearby, officials said. The passenger cooperated with investigators, Leeper said.
Moyers died Sunday at University of Florida Hospital.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement issued a statewide Blue Alert for Patrick Rene McDowell, warning anyone who spots him to stay away and call 911 or the Nassau County Sheriff's Office at 904-225-5174.
C. A. Bridges is a Digital Producer for the USA TODAY Network, working with several newsrooms across Florida. Local journalists work hard to keep you informed about the things you care about, and you can support them by subscribing to your local news organization. Read more articles by Chris here and follow him on Twitter at @cabridges
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Blue Alert activated to find Jacksonville gunman in Deputy Moyers shooting
